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From mulching to homemade herbicides and dog-friendly weed control, discover the most effective methods of weed control for your garden in this guide.
Weed control is the bane of every gardener's life. No matter how high the hedge or long the lawn, we’d always prefer anything but the sight of those stubborn weeds popping up their heads yet again.
But no beautiful garden is ever created and maintained by chance. Unfortunately, it takes consistent care and smart weed control management.
In this piece, we discuss the six most effective methods of weed control to help you keep your outdoor haven weed-free all year.
Now, let’s get rid of those weeds once and for all!
6 Effective Weed Control Methods From Worcestershire Gardening Experts
From hand-pulling and mulching to chemical and organic solutions, here are our six most effective weed control methods:
While this weed control option might appear a little obvious, it still remains the most effective. Yes, we can all agree the idea of getting muddy on our hands and knees isn’t exactly appealing, but nothing defines “weed control” like having the literal thing, root and all, within your grasp.
Because unless that plant has already germinated, you can guarantee it won’t come back. Depending on the size or weed variety, we’d recommend using a fork to loosen the ground around the plant before pulling. This approach will help you actually get the thing out properly. If the root snaps, then just expect to see that same weed again sometime sooner or later.
Essentially, pulling or digging up a weed is the best way to exterminate its existence. Just remember, you must get up the entire root.
Now, for the best weed control results, we recommend combining hoeing with manual weeding.
After you’ve pulled or dug out as many weeds as possible, hoeing over the area helps slice through any remaining roots while weakening any surviving weeds, and generally tidying up the soil for a clean finish.
A hoe is a gardening tool with a long handle and a flat or blunted metal blade designed to cut into the soil. Many hoes feature two prongs connecting the blade to the handle, creating a hollow space that allows you to lift weeds out of the soil and leave them on top to dry and die in the sun.
That said, using a hoe effectively does take some skill. Most gardeners will agree that while a hoe can help break up the soil and slide weeds out, it rarely removes the entire root system. This means hoeing is usually a temporary weed control solution because some weeds will regrow from the remaining roots.
Even so, hoeing is a valuable garden maintenance activity because it’s much easier and faster than pulling or digging, but it also helps keep the soil loose, and gives your flower beds a neat, well-tended appearance.
Mulching and weed control go hand in hand when done right. Your mulch can be anything from shredded leaves, composted grass, cardboard, straw, or wood chips. By covering the soil and blocking the light, you stop weeds from growing while eliminating the chance of germination.
In addition to weed control, certain mulch will provide nutrients to your flowers and trees, helping them grow as the mulch composts over time.
Wood chips may be the best mulch option for their appearance and effectiveness. However, like all mulch, it will break down over time. So, when it comes to topping up your mulch, you can do so for free by making smart use of your garden waste.
Adding a sheet or layer below the earth adds one step further from mulching with your weed control. Ideal for when you’re starting a new bed or garden space, add an opaque layer that blocks light, such as cardboard or newspaper, before adding compost, straw, or topsoil on top.
More effort than mulching, pulling or hoeing, the main advantage of adding a layer is to restrict light to the weeds. Those persistent, perennial weeds might still survive, but most will disappear in these conditions, leaving very little weeding, if any.
Due to the chemicals and toxins, we wouldn’t recommend using typical weed killers because they’re bad for insects, bees, and pets. Homemade herbicide sprays are better for the environment.
Nevertheless, traditional weed killers are a very effective weed control solution. The important thing to remember is selecting the correct weed killer for the plant.
For example, if you have weeds growing in your lawn and you don’t want to kill the grass, you can use selective weed killers. But for standard weed killers, where you can isolate the weed, you simply spray the foliage. Come back in two weeks, and the weeds will be dead. Just remember to only spray on a dry day.
Besides the harmful chemicals, weed killer will leave the ugly brown remains of the weed before eventually eroding weeks later. Therefore, if you want a nice-looking garden without dead weeds, you’ll still have to remove the remains.
Boiling water is another effective, chemical-free weed control solution. Simply boil your kettle and pour onto the weed. The scalding hot water causes thermal shock, rupturing the cell walls before ultimately dehydrating the weed.
With larger weeds, it may take a few attempts. Scalding with boiling water can be useful for weed control, but the impact won’t always reach the root system, leaving the weed to grow back.
If, like many gardeners, you have pets that enjoy exploring your garden, it’s essential to prioritise their safety when applying your weed control. Chemical weed killers are toxic, and methods like pouring boiling water on plants pose a serious risk to curious cats, dogs, and other pets.
For pet-safe weed control, it’s best to stick to methods that are safe for animals. As listed, these options include manual weeding, mulching, using barriers, or natural remedies such as vinegar-based sprays.
By choosing pet-safe approaches, you can keep your garden thriving without putting any animals or wildlife at risk.
Weed control doesn’t have to feel like an endless battle. Because with the right approach and some hard graft, you can keep your garden looking beautiful all year round.
But if you’d rather dedicate more time to enjoying your garden, as opposed to weeding it, you can always hire professional weed control services in your local area.
At Instant Scenery, we’re award-winning landscape gardeners in Worcestershire, specialising in garden design, maintenance, and planting solutions. Our 15 years of experience ensure we’ve developed the safest, fastest, and most effective weed control methods across various garden conditions and weed varieties.
So, if you’re ready to say goodbye to those weeds for good, contact our team today to discuss how our garden maintenance services can keep your outdoors weed-free and thriving.
