GREEN ROSETTE-We’re a couple of weeks into summer now. I don’t know about you, but in my back yard weeds are sprouting with a vengeance. In part, it’s because my rear lawn is half dead from thirst. Less feeding and less water makes for unhealthy soil, and unhealthy soil encourages more than the usual number of weeds. What to do?
I have 3 criteria before I will use anything to kill weeds. The method must be (1) easy, (2) non-poisonous and (3) affordable. And of course, it must work.
Here are 5 great weed killers that fit the bill:
ORGANIC MULCH (photo above). Covering a planting area with mulch means weed seeds dropped by wind and passing birds don’t reach the soil. Neither does sun, which weeds need in order to sprout. My first choices for mulch are organic: compost, shredded bark or bark chips, or newspaper, because they are 5-fers. They discourage weeds. They absorb moisture, benefitting the plants you want to keep. You use less water in your garden, so you save on your water bill. The water soaks down to the soil, ultimately feeding the water table, which we so desperately need before we all go bone dry. Over time, organic mulch also breaks down to make your soil healthier. Some folks prefer inorganic mulches, such as pebbles or decomposed granite. Stone products look nice and will block weeds. But be aware that they also heat our air, they don’t benefit your soil or your other plants, and if you choose to plant something later, stone material can be a challenge to remove.
VINEGAR. I confess. This is my favorite way to zap weeds growing through cracks in my driveway. Find a bottle with a small opening, like an empty shampoo bottle, or use a spray bottle. Fill it with plain household vinegar. Apply a few drops to the weed, just enough to penetrate to the soil. The weed will be gone in a day or so. If this doesn’t work, apply again. That vinegar is a killer. Just be careful not to spray it on plants you want to keep. Once it has done its job, the vinegar should pose no harm.
NEWSPAPER ‘MULCH’. This photo says it all. Wet the soil around a plant you want to protect. Cut a slit through 6 to 10 pages of newspaper. Place it around the plant. Water the paper all the way through. Leave as is, or add organic mulch on top.
Easy peasy. It’s said this will encourage earth worms, which are great for your soil.
BOILING WATER. Take your boiling kettle to your garden. Pour a stream onto the top of each weed. Be careful to avoid nearby plants and your shoes. Depending on the weed, you might have to repeat this a few times. But it works
TIP FOR PULLING WEEDS BY HAND. I find this works best with weeds with shallow roots, like crabgrass. Thoroughly water the weed. I usually give the soil from a few hours to a day for the water to moisten the soil all the way to the roots. Then, tug. You might need a hand claw or trowel to loosen the roots. If the roots are stubborn, dig a little around the weed, water again and pull the following day. The goal is to get the whole weed, roots and all, so it won’t grow back.
So you have it – 5 easy and low-cost ways to keep your garden healthy, safe for kids and animals and look good doing it.
(Rickie Avrutin is a sustainable garden consultant, a smart garden columnist and the Executive Director at Green Rosette. She can be reached at [email protected])
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 13 Issue 56
Pub: Jul 10, 2015
