Winning the war on weeds

The perception of what’s a weed and what isn’t may be in the eye of the beholder but plants growing where they’re not wanted can certainly be classified as such.

After 30 years of yanking what I consider weeds in my yard, I believe a combination of two things works best to keep these plants at bay.

A thick layer of mulch is your most important investment however this has to be applied on a weed free garden. If you’re pretty well choked with tough-to-remove weeds at this stage, it’s best to wait until fall or next spring, dig out your desirable plants, set them aside and completely till or turn over the remaining soil, picking out the remaining plant growth.

My favorite mulch is the dark, finely, shredded product. It tends to stay put better and looks great once applied around the plants. A several-inch layer helps to keep roots cool and retains moisture so you won’t have to water as often during dry spells. You’ll find any weeds that do manage to sprout through the mulch are easy to remove.

Another important factor in controlling weeds is to be as vigilant as possible in removing them before they have a chance to set seed or multiply by runners. If you can keep on top of them early in the season, the plants you want to flourish will have a head start to crowd out younger weeds. That’s why I always like to plant annuals close together in a weed-free bed. Once they spread and grow together, weeds won’t have as much chance to compete.

Herbicides are an option, albeit one which an increasingly large percentage of gardeners (including myself) do not want to use. They may kill weeds, but these chemicals also kill all sorts of different plants including flowers, lawns, and other things. You need to make sure that the product you use doesn’t come in contact with other plants in the area. If it does, try to wipe it off as quickly as possible. Manufacturers recommend applying herbicides in warm, sunny weather when the temperature is over 15 degrees Celsius and when the wind is calm or very near calm.