Landscaping Weeds - How to Control Weeds in Your Garden

Managing weeds means just what it says, because there really is no way to get rid of them all together. However, with a little know-how, you can keep your weed problems to a minimum.

The first step is to start with as free a plot as possible.

This means, taking whatever steps are available to get your new lawn started off as weed free as possible. Before you even plant your seed, you can treat the plot with weed killing agents. Always follow the directions to ensure that you are applying the right amount and waiting the proper length of time before planting. Also, make sure your seed is as weed free as it can be.

The weed free seed is a bit more costly, so do not be tempted to buy the cheaper kind in order to save money. If you do, you defeat the purpose of trying to weed proof your lawn ahead of time. The cheaper seed has not gone through the weed cleansing process and will produce more weeds along with the new grass.

This will only create more work for you down the road, and you will wish you would have bought the good stuff. Do yourself a favor and save a lot of money and headaches later on by getting the best seed you can find. You’ll be glad you did.

Weed control fabric is available for use in garden areas and small lawn areas. It’s just a light piece of black fabric that helps hold the weeds back. It does this by reducing the amount of sun that reaches the soil. This will lessen the heat required for some weeds to grow. The cloth will also physically hold down certain types of weeds.

These rolls of fabric come in a variety of sizes, but you can cut it to your specific needs. Cover the ground with the fabric, and then you can plant your seed in weed-free soil that is placed on top of it.

Pre-emergent herbicides can be applied to existing gardens or lawns to control weeds. This type of herbicide will kill the weeds before they sprout, while still in the seed stage.

There are a couple of advantages to using this type of chemical. First, it allows you to eliminate the weeds without having to spray them or pull them out later on. It also makes it difficult for the weeds to develop any kind of underground root system, making them not quite as numerous. They become harder to control when they have the opportunity to mature underground.

Contrary to what some would have you believe, pulling weeds does help to prevent them from coming back later. This will only work if you pull out all or most of the root. The grass can then fill in that space and take some of the nutrients and water that the weed would need to return.

When you’re dealing with something more than just a few weeds, such as a dandelion problem, spot or large scale spraying are your only choices. If possible, avoid large scale spraying, as this might damage other grass and plants. It is also considerably more expensive and time consuming. Sometimes, though, you are left with no other choice.

You will never completely eliminate weeds in your lawn, but with some regular maintenance, you can keep them manageable.

         

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