Organic Weed Control Methods to Manage a Healthy and Beautiful Yard
Tired of stubborn weed in your garden? If yes, then you need not look any further. We have rounded up a list of organic weed control methods to let your garden grow in its glory. You do need to use pesticides and harmful chemicals to control weeds in your yard. Organic weed killer and natural methods can help you to effectively handle weed in your garden.
Organic Weed Control Methods
There are different types of common garden weed that can be really harmful to your lawn. Weeds suck up all the nutrients from the soil, which keeps your plants from healthy growth. Lack of proper nutrient supply makes your beautiful plants susceptible to insect infestation and disease. Sounds horrible, right? Using the natural weed killer or organic weed controller for lawn can help you manage a healthy and beautiful lawn.
Gardeners fight weeds almost every year. Who likes to spend holiday hand-digging the weeds. It can be a real challenge to keep the weeds from growing in your beautiful garden. So, below mentioned are some organic weed control methods.
Mulching
Looking for an organic weed killer for lawns? If yes, then mulch is the perfect solution for you. Mulch is one of the best organic weed killers. It not only helps to keep the soil wet and cool but also eliminates the light which is required by weed to grow.
All you need to do is cover your garden with a layer of mulch. It can be smoother and finally inhibits weeds. Moreover, it also keeps the new seeds from germinating. Some good sources of mulch are compost, wood chips, grass straw, and clippings. Make sure not to use hay as it contains various unwanted seeds.
You can also put old newspaper, ground cloth, or landscape fabric on the soil in your garden to keep the weeds from growing. It is helpful in the pathways of your garden if there is not gravel, wood chips, or stones.
Limit Digging and Trilling
If you think too much digging is good to keep weeds from growing, then you are wrong. Too much digging and turning over the soil can bring new seeds of weed to the surface. Therefore, it is better to use the no-till method. In this method, you have to avoid disturbing the garden soil a lot.
If you are growing new plants, then you should dig down as far as the plant requires. Do not fill up the entire bed. The no-till method is best to improve soil fertility and structure. Moreover, it also increases the population of organisms beneficial for your soil. It is one of the best lawn weed control methods.
Crowding
Weeds can not grow in a garden that does not have enough space for them. If you are planning to make a backyard vegetable garden, then opt for crowing the vegetable plants. Make ornamental beds by growing perennial plants and groundcovers to shade the soil and cover it properly.
Try the wide-row planting method in your vegetable garden. In this method, the plant leaves touch each other when they grow mature. When the plants grow, their leaves shade the bed, which keeps the weed of sunlight. It eventually stops the weed from growing and kills them. It is an amazing lawn weed control method for your vegetable garden.
Fertilizing
The water and nutrients you give to your plants also help the weeds to grow as much as they help your flower and vegetable plants. Therefore, only give you plants what they actually need. There are different types of fertilizers. Make sure to provide the right ones to your plants.
You can use irrigation bags or drip irrigation to provide water to the roots of only your plants and not the empty spaces present around them. Provide extra compost to heavy feeders such as tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers. However, feed less to the root vegetables. Make sure to use organic fertilizers in your garden to ensure the healthy growth of your plants.
Solarizing
How to kill weeds? This is one of the most common questions that come to a gardener’s mind. Solarizing is the perfect answer to this question. In this method of natural weed killer, you need to cover an area of the weedy ground using a heavy plastic sheet. This method works only in full sun or warm weather. In this method, the heat collects under the sheet and then literally burns the weeds.
You need to leave the plastic sheet for around 4-6 weeks. Remove it once the weeds are dry and brown. For better results, you can till the soil in order to bring weed seeds to the ground surface. Allow them to sprout just before solarizing. It is a highly effective lawn weed control method.
Boiling Water
Thinking about how to kill weeds? Boiling water is the answer. Yes, you read it right. It is one of the best organic weed control methods. You do not need any chemicals for this method. All you need is boiling hot water.
Boil a kettle of normal water and then pour it over weeds. It will burn the unnecessary weed in your garden. This one is a perfect method for weed growing in pavement cracks and garden paths. The water becomes cool as it runs off, which keeps it from hurting the required plants.
Vinegar
If you are looking for a homemade weed killer, then vinegar is the right pick for you. The vinegar mix is a perfect homemade weed killer which dries out the weed. However, you will have to use it multiple times on weeds that have a long taproot, such as dandelion.
All you need to mix 1-gallon white household vinegar (5%), one cup of salt, and one table dish soap. Put it all in a spray bottle and mix it well. Now spray it directly onto the weeds. This method works better in full sun. Make sure to avoid the plants that you want to keep in your garden.
This homemade weed killer will work better if you use 20% or 30% vinegar. However, this vinegar is highly acidic, so you will have to use gloves and goggles to avoid it from blowing back to your skin or eyes.
Rubbing Alcohol
How to kill weeds using homemade weed killer? If you are thinking this, then rubbing alcohol is something you should try. All you need to do mix 2 ounces of rubbing alcohol, two cups of water, and some drops of dish soap. Put it in a spray bottle and then spray it directly on weeds to kill them.
This organic weed control method works well on annual weeds that grow in full sun. Make sure not to spray it on the plants that you want, as alcohol can dry out any plant. Keep in mind that this homemade weed killer does not work in shady areas.
Flame Weeders
A flame weeder is a tool used to control weeds. In this one, a wand is connected with a propane tank which allows you to pass the flame over weeds to heat the plant tissues and kill them. It is a perfect solution to the question, how to kill weeds.
Flame weeders are highly effective on all types of weeds. If you have a large garden or planning to start a small farm, then this organic weed control tool is worth investment.
Corn Gluten
This one is a natural weed killer. It is a byproduct of the process of corn milling and helps to prevent weed seeds from germinating. But once the weeds are sprouted, they can not do anything. Corn Gluten is often applied to gardens and lawns to prevent dandelions from sprouting. Make sure to use organic corn gluten as it is non-toxic.
Edging
One of the best organic weed control methods is edging. Physical barriers like retaining walls and lawn edging are the best solutions to keep weeds at bay. All you need to do is make a cheap and simple edge. Make the right edge in your garden to keep your plants away from the weeds.
Salt
Looking for a homemade weed killer? If yes, then you need no look anywhere else. It is right in your kitchen. Salt is all you need to keep the weeds from growing in your garden. Stock up the rock salt and sprinkle it in your garden paths to fight weeds. You can also sprinkle salts along the lawn edgings to keep away the weeds. However, apply it carefully as it can make your ground barren for a long time period.
Final Words
If you do not want to use harmful chemicals to control weeds in your garden, then organic weed control methods are the right solution for you. With so many organic weed killers, you do not need to use toxic stuff. How do you kill weeds in your garden? Tell us by dropping a comment.
