A beautiful garden is the dream of every homeowner and gardener. But as soon as the weeds start to sprout, that dream can come to a swift end. Weeds are a nuisance, and they can easily turn any garden’s appearance into an overrun mess.
In today’s piece, we’ll tell how you can protect your landscaping or garden from turning into a weed’s landscape. And if it’s too late and weeds have already populated your space, we’ll also tell you how you can deal with them. Let’s get started!
Protecting Your Garden and Landscaping from Weeds
Prevention is better than cure. And to honor that proverb, here are some practical tips to limit the spread of weeds in your garden.
Don’t Disturb Sleeping Weeds
Weeds are found in every square inch of your garden. But only the weeds that are on the top inch get the light actually to germinate. Disturbing the inner layer of weeds by digging and cultivating too often exposes the hidden weeds to light.
Avoid digging too often and disturbing the soil. And if it’s necessary, use a sharp knife to dig when the soil is damp.
Make Use of Mulch
Mulch is any material that’s laid to cover the surface of the soil, and it acts as a barrier by blocking the sunlight so that weed seeds don’t sprout. Make use of mulches, specifically organic mulches for best results. What organic mulches do is they host crickets and carabid beetles that consume thousands of weed seeds. Laying landscape fabric over weeds has also proven to be a great mulch alternative. Lastly, make sure to apply around two-to-year layers of mulch for the best results.
Mind the Weed Gap
Plants that grow close together are at increased threat for weeds. When you are planting your plants, mind the weed-gap between them, so you don’t have to regret it later. Stick with the plant spacing guidelines to avoid turning your garden into a weed’s landscape.
Water Your Plants (Instead of Weeds)
Most gardeners forget that, along with their plants, they are watering the weeds. And that causes the weeds to spread and grow instantaneously. Deprive the weeds in your garden of water, and the weed-seed germination will decrease by around fifty to seventy percent.
Use a Weed Control Fertilizer
Last but not least, make use of a fertilizer that features weed control. Although weed control fertilizers are a little expensive than the regular ones, they are worth the money.
Getting Rid of Weeds
Weeds are inevitable. If your garden has been compromised with weeds, here’s how you can get rid of them.
Pull Out Weeds When They Are Wet
Pick up a pair of gloves, a sitting pad, a tarp, a table fork, and a fishtail weeder/garden hoe, and make sure your garden is wet. Next, go to your garden and start twisting out the tendrils using your fork. For bigger ones, make use of your weeder. Lastly, for shallow roots, you can use your garden hoe.
Use a Weed Killer
Weed killers are readily available in the market. Their job is to kill weeds in an instant. And once they are killed, they can be easily picked from the garden.
Protecting your landscaping from weeds is essential. And especially if you are serious about making your garden a beautiful, bountiful place. Use the tips we have provided to protect your garden from weeds today!
If you’re interested in more landscaping advice or services, reach out to Stoeckig Landscape Group at 770-831-1790.