Sunday, 7 December 2014

Understanding What To Use To Kill Weeds Will Keep Your Garden Beautiful

By Claudine Hodges


Once summer weather rolls around it brings with it green lawns and bountiful gardens, however there is also one aspect of this time of year all gardeners dislike, weeds. Finding out what to use to kill weeds is important to keep them from spoiling the look and health of one's property. Fortunately there are many safe and natural ways to do this without resorting to harmful chemicals.

Simple as it may sound, pulling weeds is often necessary and one of the most effective ways to get rid of them. This must be done properly, or they can easily grow back. It's best done after watering since the soil will be moist, just dig down past the base of the weed until the end of its root system is located and pull out the entire plant, this garden refuse can then be added to the compost pile.

It's also possible to put an end to these pesky invaders by suffocating them, cutting off their access to sunlight. Cut some old newspapers into strips and place them over areas of weed growth, then cover this up with some garden mulch, it will be necessary to use several layers of newspapers because some weeds can poke through.

Many store-bought herbicides contain some harmful chemicals which may hurt people or animals, instead one can prepare a homemade weed-killer that is made only of normal, household ingredients and is not hazardous. Put in a spray bottle two cups of white vinegar, one-half cup of salt, and a few drops of dish detergent and mix thoroughly. Spray directly on weeds, but avoid contact with vegetable as it may damage them.

Areas such as between paving stones in the garden can be kept free of unwanted weed growth by the use of salt. Rock salt used in winter to prevent ice from forming is ideal for this purpose, but even household table salt works fine. Just sprinkle it along these cracks, taking care not to touch the lawn or garden, as it can kill them as well.

The heat of fire is a powerful natural weed-killer. This does not mean starting an actual fire, but rather simply passing a hot flame over the weedy areas, the heat effectively dries up the moisture within them, which causes them to shrivel up and die. Propane-powered weed scorchers designed for this purpose or regular, general-use blowtorches can both suffice for this purpose.

In ornamental flower beds, it is possible to plan one's plantings in such a way that it will reduce the likelihood of weeds being able to thrive there. Selecting ground covering plants that by nature prevent weed species from getting the nutrients, sun, and water they require to flourish is a good way to avoid this issue altogether. Examples include creeping thyme, Walker's low catmint, and Majestic lilyturf, to name just a few.

In order to prepare beds for fall planting, a method known as "solarizing" can be used in the summer. It kills weeds and prevents future growth. The soil must first be tilled and raked to remove debris, then an 8-inch deep trench must be dug around the bed's perimeter, next a clear, thin sheet of plastic will be laid over the bed, with its edges placed in the trench and covered up with soil. After 4 to 6 weeks, this plastic can be removed, the soil fertilized, and used for planting.




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