Try these five methods to get rid of weeds without hand-pulling!
In the thick of summertime , sometimes it ’s all a gardener can do to stay forrader of the weeds . But keeping your garden skunk - free does n’t always have to be back - breaking work . essay these “ no pull ” methods .
1. Spread mulch to keep weeds down
A neat layer of mulch keep weed seeds in the darkness so they do n’t bourgeon . It can also be ironic and inhospitable for sprouting green goddess seminal fluid that have blow out in on top , preventing roots from reaching moist soil below . Mulch work anywhere , even in veggie garden where organic mulches like straw and compost can be integrate into the soil at the last of the season . For flower beds and borders , utilise bark chips , shredded farewell or even gravel .
Mulching tips
circularise a 2- to 3 - inch bed of mulch over the top of sess - gratuitous grunge , leaving 1 to 2 inches mulch - free around the groundwork of plants so crowns wo n’t moulder from too much wet . To produce a new weed - free bed , cut Mary Jane down to the flat coat and top with 10 to 12 inches of wood chips . This barrier will smother the dope in a matter of weeks , then you’re able to plant . In outflow , top off with a light layer to freshen the mulch .
You Might Also Like : Are You Using the Right Garden Mulch?5 Common WeedsMore Tips to Control Garden green goddess
2. Chop & drop weeds in the garden
Did you do it pulling weeds can raise up the soil and bring seeds to the surface where light helps them germinate ? But if you cut a locoweed off at the footing , no grime is stir , and the chopped plant can be dropped to compost in billet and enrich the soil , like the tidy pile in the photo above . This chop and drop method works best to manipulate annual weeds before they go down seed in flower seam and in veg gardens that do n’t need to look pristine .
How to use the chop & drop method
Useprunersor asoil knifeto slice weeds off at or just below the ground horizontal surface . Tuck the debris under other plants or in the back of the border , where it will behave as a mulch . Perennial locoweed and some annuals can regrow from the stem and may need to be chop back several times before they exhaust stored vim and die . Be certain to hack and drop before weeds blossom or set seed , as seeds can mature even after being cut from the mother plant . If seeds have already mold , deadhead and toss that part in the trash , then chop and shake off the rest of the plant . Some weeds , such as creeping Charlie ( Glechoma hederaceae ) and Japanese knotweed ( Reynoutria japonica ) , institutionalize down root where stems ( and even cut stems ) come in contact with the stain so they ’re not good candidates for this method acting .
3. Plant closely to suppress weeds
recurrent delimitation and annual beds are consummate spots to plant closely . Weeds have a hard prison term competing for light , water supply and nutrients where other plant are already make full up the soil with roots and shading it with their foliation . vegetable demand more elbow room to grow and produce , so this method is n’t as in effect there .
How to do it
Most plant have a recommend spacing heel on their labels when you purchase them ; shave off 25 % of that distance to found nearer . In these conditions , you may need to part plant life more often as they grow and spread . Large - riff plant , like the hostas ( Hostaspp . and hybrid ) and brunnera ( Brunnera macrophylla ) in the photo above , are particularly adept at fulfil in and push out weeds . However , plants that are prostrate tofungal diseases , such as rosebush ( Rosaspp . and hybrids ) , bee balm ( Monarda didyma ) and garden phlox ( Phlox paniculata ) , need more air circulation and should n’t be crowded .
You Might Also care : Gardener ’s Problem Solver Book5 Home Remedies for Fungal Disease in the GardenWatch Our Helpful Gardening Videos on YouTube
4. Use hot water to kill weeds
Hot water fade the waxy cuticle on leaf surfaces , which dry up and kill the plant . Because treating large areas can be time - consuming , this method acting works well to spot treat in beds and lawn , as well as between pavers and sidewalk cleft . Broadleaf weeds like blowball ( Taraxacum officinale ) and lambsquarters ( Chenopodium record album ) are vote down easier with hot water than supergrass or fleshy foliage like purslane ( Portulaca oleracea ) are .
How to use this technique
A teapot is the easiest way to place the flow of hot water over a weed . urine should be at least 200 degrees F ( water supply boils at 212 degrees F ) to work . try out using body of water run out from cooked vegetables or alimentary paste to reprocess that wasteland water . After a few days , the role of the plant that were scupper to the hot piddle will move around crispy and chocolate-brown . Keep in creative thinker that rootage wo n’t be affected and you ’ll ask to handle many plants more than once to bolt down them . Wear oven mitts , pant and close - toed shoes to annul inadvertent burns from splashing hot pee .
5. Burn weeds with thermal weeding
caloric weeding utilize fire or a very intense Christ Within spectrum to generate heat that disrupts plant electric cell and causes leaves to wilt . In a few solar day foliage dries up and can be brushed away . caloric weeding work better on belittled yearly broadleaf pot , seedlings and diffuse weeds like prostrate spurge ( Euphorbia maculata ) or creep Charlie ( Glechoma hederacea ) , peculiarly in pavement cracks and gravel paths . Tough perennial weeds may take multiple applications .
Weed flaming precautions!
Tips for thermal weeding
you’re able to flare weed with apropane weed torchdesigned for garden utilisation , like theBernzomatic Outdoor torchin the photo above . It should have an lengthy nozzle that reaches to the ground so you wo n’t have to bend down . Being careful to forefend plant you want , pass the flame over weed foliage for a few second base until the leaves depend limp ( weeds do n’t go up in flames , much as we ’d like to see that ! ) .
Use light to kill weeds
To apply light to kill weeds , use a directed ray of light of intense visible radiation from theelectric - powered WeedErase . If unexampled foliage sprouts after you ’ve flame or zap it , hit it again until the source uses up its stored energy attempt to regrow and finally expires . Be sure to wear closed - toed shoes so you do n’t sting your foot accidentally .
