A weed can be described basically as any plant that's growing where you don't want it to grow.   Weeds compete with the desirable plants in a landscape, and become more aggressive as they mature.  Therefore, a planned and sustained attack is the only prudent way to go in the home garden as far as weeds are concerned.  

There are some sure-fire way to rid your planting area of weeds, but these take patience and are not practical for those of us with established beds.  For new beds,  you can either cover the site heavily with newspaper and mulch and simply let the area lie fallow for a year, then plant. The mulch will decompose and improve the soil, and the original weeds will be gone for good.

Another way is to wait until the hottest part of the summer, then soak the area with water, cover with clear plastic, and let sit for about a month.  The intense heat under the plastic pasteurizes the soil and kills virtually all of the weeds and weed seeds.  

When planning an attack on the weeds in your yard, it helps to know what you are battling.  The strategies are different for annual and perennial weeds, so know your enemy before you proceed.  Annuals are by far the most common weed problem in the yard - as you know, annuals grow, flower, seed, and die within one growing season.  If you allow them to set seed, you are guaranteeing a weed problem forever, and therefore, the strategy with annuals is basically geared toward preventing them from setting seed.  

Perennial weeds are a different story, and surprisingly they are the ones that will cause you the most grief.  These are tough plants that can grow through heavy mulch.  They tend to have amazing root systems that go down or out to surprising distances.  With most of them, if you chop the roots, such as with a tiller, each fragment of root will generate a new plant, multiplying your problems.  Persistence is the key with the perennial weeds, and a good weeding tool is your weapon.  

This section will be devoted to the identification of weeds and how to eradicate them from your landscape, including a section on mulch, which is your most valuable ally in the war against weeds.  I will also include a Tips and Tricks resource for creative methods to help you in your quest for a weed-less property.  This is a work in progress, and as such Bookmark this page and return often, as we update daily.

Message Board

Gardens Ablaze Home