Weeds have a combination of positive and negative effects on soil. But weeds have economic importance. For instance, on the one hand, they deteriorate the quality of agricultural products. On the other hand, they act as a layer of cover to minimize the impact of wind and rain erosion. But that’s for large habitats such as agricultural land, and not for gardens. If you are a gardener, you might have different thinking about weeds, as there are mostly losses and close-to-zero pluses of weed growth in the garden.
Hence, you have to keep on weeding as soon as you find one. Have you ever wondered how much time do you spend weeding now and then? If you love gardening, then it is pretty evident that you might have spent hours and hours of effort weeding. But you need to reduce the time you spend on weeding to focus more on gardening. You can do this in several ways such as using the right tools or using mulch on the soil. That’s exactly why we have compiled this list of best tips to help you reduce weed growth in your garden.
Pull them out by the roots
There’s always a debate between whether you should take out weeds from the roots or cut them. Taking out any plant by its root will disturb the soil, leading to more weed seeds germinating in the nearby area. But if you just cut weeds and leave the roots standing, they can still get water, sunlight, and other nutrients to continue to grow. Our best advice here is to pull the weeds out by their roots whenever possible. If they have grown too large, it is better to just cut them off, but taking them down from the roots should always be your first option.
Use the right tools
This holds significant importance for gardening, and the same is true for weeds. Having the right tools in your inventory will minimize the effort and time required to pull out weeds. For instance, a hoe can help you cover an extended area easily by quickly cultivating any area. You might also want to use a wedding trowel instead of a standard one. It will help you remove weeds without heavily disturbing soil. Similarly, you should take a Hori Hori, a dandelion weeder, a hoe, a pair of gloves, to name a few.
Mulching
This is applying a soil layer to prevent loss of moisture, fertility, and weed growth. You can use several materials to mulch your garden soil. Some materials that can be used include grass clippings, wood chips, pine straw, hay, cardboard, and straw.
Only the weeds that are closer to the surface can get enough sunlight and nutrients to grow. Mulch mitigates weed growth by preventing the weed seeds to come closer to the surface.
Two to four inch of mulch is considered a good thick layer on the soil. But if you have large and wide pathways, using a newspaper or cardboard to cover the soil surface along with mulch is always a good practice.
Don’t over-till
Tilling is a way of growing your own weeds. Weed seeds are always there in your soil; those that come closer to the surface start growing. Digging the soil brings the seeds deep down in the soil to the surface. There are times when you will be forced to till to remove weeds, for instance, when they have grown too large. But when you do so, ensure to kill all the weeds that you have brought to the surface during the process.
Water only the plants
Start a drought for the weeds. Similar to other seeds and plants, weeds need water and sunlight for growth. While you cannot do much about sunlight, you can place a drip or a soaker hose to prevent water supply to the weeds. Hoses will water your plants efficiently while leaving the weeds out of reach. This will cause the weeds to die, making your garden a weed-free one.
What do the experts have to say?
Weeding, if done wrong, can completely deteriorate the quality of the soil. Hence, it is of utmost importance to handle weeds and remove them with care.
The best thing to do is not to wait for weeding. Take weeds down as soon as you spot them. Pulling them by the roots is much easier when they are small. Remember that every garden will have a few weed seeds, but you don’t need to spend hours getting rid of them, especially if you have taken care of preventing their growth. Cheers to happy gardening!
