6 Methods To Prevent Weeds In Your Garden

It is impractical to believe that you can have a weed-free garden. Weeds grow in the garden, regardless of whether you will like it or not. Typically, they compete with lawn grass and plants for nutrients and water and can grow everywhere, making a garden less attractive.

Soil nutrients are consumed due to weed growth, resulting in fewer nutrients used by plants to grow. Weeds tend to grow faster than the plants and cover them, hence becoming dense to reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the plants.

Preventing them from growing in the garden needs enough time to make your garden weed-free. You can never remove weeds from your garden altogether, but there are different ways to prevent them from growing. Here are 6 methods to prevent weeds in your garden.

1. Pull by hands

For better or for worse, you will have to pull out most of the weeds by hand. Note that if you want this method to be effective, you need to remove the entire weed with its roots. Wear waterproof gloves and use the comfortable sitting pad for wide weeding.

The trick to pulling out the roots is because most weeds, such as dandelions, grow again if the roots are left in the soil. Weeds can slide from the soil more quickly when the ground is wet. If you have missed the roots, try using the fork to pry the weeds gently off the ground with all roots.

2. Mulching

A thick mulch denies weeds together with their seeds light. Organic mulches like compost, sawdust, leaves, straw, cardboard, and newspaper have the extra benefit of providing the organic matter from which soil organisms can feed. Black plastic and weed control fabric also block the weeds together with their seeds from receiving light. It is crucial to understand that mulch only prevents the growth of weeds.

Many organic mulches offer the best place for growing medium weed seeds, which blows on top of a mulch. Weeds also grow on fabrics or plastics if there is an accumulation of soil or enough organic matter. The particle-sized mulch determines the depth of application. You need to apply coarse-textured mulch, like wood and bark chips, to a depth of 4 inches to control weeds.

3. Use the landscape fabric

The chemical products can help prevent weed growth for some months, after which they tend to appear again if you don’t apply the product again. For a longer-lasting result, you need to use the landscape fabric to prevent them from growing for some years. The landscape fabric also prevents the sun from covering the area, prevents unwanted plant growth, and allows water, nutrients, and air to enter the soil.

Holes can be drilled in the fabric so that some plants can live happily. Use the landscape fabric anywhere you do not want to grow large or small weeds, like narrow alloy or flowerbed that is difficult to cut. The fabric can be bought at hardware stores or grocery stores.

4. Use the gardening tool

Pulling weeds by hand takes time and requires more effort whereas the option is to use the gardening tools. If the roots of the weeds are shallow, you can use the regular garden hoe. For deep-rooted weeds, it is recommended to use the winged hoe.

If you want to use the winged hoe, place the lower tip of a blade near the weed’s stem and press vertically down to push a blade into the ground. Then tilt the hoe towards the ground and collect all the roots. Repeat this process as necessary.

You need to note that using this type of tool will take longer than using the regular hoe because you will need to remove each weed at a time. However, it works best for deeper roots. If you want to buy these tools, you can get them at any hardware store.

5. Use enough fertilize but not very much

Very little fertilizer can result in a sparse lawn, which loses competition with the weeds. Much of it will nurture particular weeds, especially annual bluegrass, crabgrass, and Bermuda grass. Follow the rate of application on the package.

Use a high controlled-release nitrogen percentage of fertilizers, like sulfur-coated urea, IBDU, or urea form. This ensures a slow and uniform supply of nutrients. Fertilizing effort on timing and frequency are also essential for a healthy garden. Both depend on the type of garden and the length of the growing season.

Many northern lawns only need one or two fertilizer applications annually but in the spring require a second time.

6. Use the chemical weed products

If the weeds are removed with a hoe or by hand, you can use the chemical weed products and spray them directly on every weed. There has a size suitable, which is for home users and commercial use. Since these products are not environmentally friendly, use them only when it is necessary.

Some of them, like Orthos Weed-B-Gon, can kill a lot of weeds, including crabgrass, clover, and dandelions, and do not harm the lawn.

After spraying, you will see the results after one or two days. When they die, you can remove them manually, which is challenging but easier than removing them when they are alive. Remember that no weed products can prevent all the weeds you want. Look at the label to get the information on applying the products to ensure safe use, application rates, and precautions.

Conclusion

Although weeds are unavoidable and are part of gardening, they do not need to control all your life. Typically, there are preventive methods you can take to ensure everything is successful. You can pull weeds by hand only when it is wet or use a hoe when it is dry.

Also, you can use chemical weed products if it is only the option. Remember, anything you apply in the garden will affect all of the surrounding living things. Not to mention your family, yourself, and the pets, whether you’re in a garden or eating from that garden.

Be careful when using the chemicals. With the above methods to prevent weeds in your garden, you are sure of the best results.