Weeds are an everyday problem for gardeners. They are the obnoxious, unwanted plants that seem everywhere. They use all the water and food from your favourite flowers, herbs, and vegetables. However, there is no need to be anxious since there are numerous ways for you to fight the weeds. The strongest way to deal with them is to keep them from spreading.
It can be made possible by removing the on-site weeds and covering the garden beds with mulch. Mulch can be defined as a layer of material (typically organic) that covers the soil’s surface. It keeps the moisture in, increases soil humus, and, most remarkably, smothers the weeds. There are effective chemical herbicides in the market, and homeowners can use them to regain control over the weeds. Individuals with a more hands-on approach can use hand-extraction as an alternative. Uprooting the entire root system is highly labour-intensive yet very effective.
Using vinegar for weed removal is also very effective. Mix vinegar and water in a spray bottle with a ratio of one-half vinegar and one-half water, and spray it on the weeds. Thereby, the vinegar will terminate them without affecting the other plants. You can also use insecticides. But remember to carefully read and follow the directions to keep the grass from getting damaged. Also, you can apply a weed barrier to prevent weeds from spreading to the grass in lawns. For this, you can put stuff (either fabric or plastic) over the soil to ensure the weeds cannot grow.
Now, let’s talk about common garden weeds and how to tackle them.
Bindweed: Snap the vine at the bottom, pull up the root system, and then treat the place with a universal weed killer.
Chickweed: The preemergence herbicides can be used during the early stages of the development of young plants.
Creeping Charlie: Hand-pulling or spraying herbicide are suitable methods, starting with mulch set up in the early stages.
Dame’s Rocketis: In early spring, avoid planting the weed seeds to prevent weed growth and manage young plants well to kill them before they produce seeds.
Lambsquarters: You can mulch, pull by hand, or use a general herbicide.
Nutsedge: Manually pull small plants as they have shallow roots or use any herbicide labelled for nutsedge which is a perennial weed.
Pigweed: Cut the sprouts as close to the ground as possible, apply a preemergence weed killer, or simply eliminate weeds by hand and destroy the plants before spraying with an herbicide.
Purslane: An early-season preemergence herbicide application, mulch, hand-weeding of young plants, and general-purpose herbicide spot treatment can eliminate these.
Thistle: To control the size of thistles, mulch or remove the roots and dig out. Then, spray them with an herbicide.
Feeling overwhelmed? Not a problem! If you have difficulty determining your needs, we can advise you about Harp’s Landscaping’s garden maintenance in Delta. With our services, you can boost the attractiveness of your outdoor space, making it free from weeds and adequately productive. Contact us today for a free consultation!