There are different forms of weeds in each garden and controlling weeds in your garden can be tricky, but knowing how to spot problematic plants is a crucial first step in managing them. There are different techniques to help you control your weeds. These safer options make use of methods without pesticides and they work just as effectively.
Here are 5 ways to control the weeds in your garden.
Hand weeding
Hand weeding is a low-impact and gentle method of weed control. It is mostly effective for small infestations. With this method, you must ensure all reproductive root, stem and seed segments are bagged and disposed of.
This technique is easy and cost-friendly and can be done without any professional assistance. When removing weeds by hand, you have to ensure that you pull with force at the bottom of the stem and pull the roots out of the ground. Hand weeding can relatively be effective and sometimes satisfying for gardeners.
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Apply boiling water to the weeds
Boiling water is a simple method of killing weeds. Pour the boiling water directly onto the offending weeds. This method works best when the weeds are young, tender, and small.
Be careful to not pour any hot water onto surrounding plants or yourself when using this method.
Mowing and trimming
This method is useful for preventing seed dispersal and suppressing weeds. Mowing/trimming can stunt or stop the growth of the weeds at present. It can be time-consuming but effective, as the success of this approach will depend upon the frequency of mowing.
The main point of mowing is to repeatedly keep them under control and make them less noticeable.
Mulching
Covering the soil with an extra layer of organic matter can smother and inhibit weeds, as well as prevent new seeds from germinating. You can mulch with compost, bark, wood chips or other organic matter, to make sure you have covered the base of your garden.
Using organic mulching to control weeds is a highly effective technique for making sure they have zero chance of growing again. Implementing a special mulching technique can do more than prevent weeds and retain moisture, it can also kill existing weeds
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Soil Solarisation
If you are not an experienced gardener, then proper research has to be done before trying this technique. A lot of beginners are unaware of this method of killing and controlling weeds. Soil solarisation is the practice of increasing soil temperature until it kills the weed. It helps to release nutrients that are trapped in the soil while killing undesirable plants without the use of chemicals. Gardeners usually cover the gardens with plastic to catch solar radiation that traps the heat and kills weeds.
You don’t have to resort to chemical herbicides to eliminate invasive weeds. These safer options work just as effectively.
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Originally published in Garden&Home Magazine.
