Dog Gone Weeds

Garden Layout.

Get to The Weeds Before They Go to Seed

If there is one thing I have learned in any type of gardening or landscaping is to get to the weeds before they go to seed. If you remove the weeds before they are fully mature and dropping seeds, you won’t have a weed problem. Weeds need to be addressed in late winter early spring before they come to seed, and throughout the growing season. Staying up on weeds can be overwhelming at times, but once you get them under control and maintained on a regular basis, it will be much less tasking.

Learn How to Identify Weeds

You need to know the invasive weeds that need removal such as (Crabgrass, Canada Thistle, Hogweed, Mugwort, Garlic Mustard, Japanese Knotweed, Gooseneck Loosestrife, Bindweed, Wild Grapevine, Pokeweed, etc.). Take photos of your weeds and you can identify them online, or take them to your local garden lawn care center for expert advice.

I'm Diggin Them Weeds

Hand pulling weeds can be an effective way to remove them, but it's time-consuming and labor-intensive. Here are some tips for hand pulling weeds.

Pull at the base: Grab the weed as close to the ground as possible and pull straight up. This ensures that you remove the entire plant, including the root, which is the most important part.

Pull when young: Young weeds have smaller roots, making them easier to pull.

Loosen the soil: Watering the area before pulling can help loosen the soil and make it easier to remove the weed.

Pull slowly: Pulling too fast can break the plant and make it harder to remove.

Check for remaining roots: After pulling, make sure the entire root has been removed.

Wear gloves: Gloves can protect your hands from scratches and stings from prickly weeds. Thick leather or suede gloves can also protect against sunburn, blistering, and insect bites.

Use tools: Hook neck tools, angled hand hoes, ergonomic weed pullers, and hand shovels can help you dig out weeds that are in between other plants or deeply rooted. The use of gardening chairs or mats can save of the legs and knees.

Take breaks: Weeding can be backbreaking work, so take rest breaks and stay hydrated.

No Till Approach

Not tilling your soil can work in your favor when it comes to weeds. Tillage destroys microbial systems and soil structure. Tilling the ground can expose millions of weed seeds that have been dormant. When these weed-seeds are exposed to fresh air and water they start to germinate. I tried this method in my landscape garden around my home and it appears I have less of a problem with weeds than areas that were tilled.

Weed Prevention with Mulch

Applying a layer of mulch (2 – 3 inches) after planting is beneficial for many reasons. Mulch blocks light and prevents weed seeds from germinating; it keeps soil temperatures lower; it holds in moisture; it breaks down over time and feeds the soil organic matter. Mulch also helps protect the soil and nutrients from harsh condition during harsh weather and the winter season.

Weed Control with Fertilizers

No doubt that hand pulling weeds is the best method for removing weeds, but when it gets to be to much of a chore, you may want to use weed control fertilizers. These weed preventing fertilizers will probably be needed more for lawn care than in your garden landscaping. To control weeds in your lawn four treatments a year are usually sufficient. In late winter early spring before weeds come to seed you want to use a Pre-emergent (Prevents seeds from sprouting). Then around end of spring you want to apply a Weed & Feed (Kills existing weeds and feeds the grass). Around the middle of summer, you want to apply a Grub Control, or Summer Guard (Takes care of grubs and helps with heat stress). Beginning of fall is a good time to apply a Winter Guard Weed & Feed. (Give the lawn the nutrients it needs to survive the winter months).

Chemical Herbicides & Alternatives

There is a lot of controversy about chemical weed killers being used today. We know that the majority of them are hazardous to your health and to the environment. However, they do work. There are a few alternatives to using herbicides such as do-it-yourself recipes for weed control. The problem is that some of them just do not work very efficiently. The most common recipe is (One gallon vinegar, one cup salt, and one teaspoon dish soap). This is good for sidewalks, driveways, and areas that you are not planting in. You do not want to use this near your plants or gardens because it will eventually make the soil useless for growing. This will work for killing weeds but you will need multiple applications. (To bump up the effectiveness and strength use a 30% vinegar).

Here are a few other methods that works well to kill them pesky weeds in your driveway, patio pavers, and sidewalks. Take a pot of boiling water and saturate those weeds and it will kill them instantly. This method is tried and true and you will se those weeds dry up and curl in no time. Some people use blow torches to scorch the weeds dead, but we do not recommend this as you may start an unwanted fire. Pouring straight salt on your weeds will dry them up and kill them also, but make sure you do not do this in areas that you plan to grow grass or plant. Over time the salt will make the ground toxic and nothing will grow in that area. If weeds just become to overwhelming for you, it is best to call a professional landscaper for help.