Tuesday, March 20th marks the first day of spring! I don’t know about you, but I am ready to say goodbye and good riddance to winter. While walking around the yard checking my flower beds, I noticed one thing: WEEDS! Most other plants are dormant, but the weeds are alive and flourishing! I need to take action now and stop these pesky plants in their tracks.
Weed Control 101
After gardening for decades, the most effective way I have found to control and combat the problem of weeds is to get a head start. It’s simple: the weeds will reproduce in the blink of an eye and quickly take over your flower beds and your yard if you don’t act as soon as you see one emerge. Once the weeds begin to multiply, good luck keeping them at bay.
Dandelions spread like wildfire. In the photo above, you can see countless seeds blowing through the air. From the looks of our yard in late spring, it seems as though each and every seed sprouts. To prevent dandelions and other weeds from popping up everywhere:
- Get to the root of the problem. Use a weeding tool and garden trowel to make sure you dig out the entire root of the plant. If you don’t, the offender will grow back and be even more difficult to remove
. Pull weeds before they are able to blossom.- Spray a natural or homemade weed killer in the cracks and crevices of walkways and garden borders, being careful not to overspray surrounding grass and plants.
- Check the area around your perennials. Since these plants are likely to show the first sign of new growth, removing weeds now will prevent them from growing through your beautiful plant
later on, making the weeds much more difficult to access and destroy. - Tip: NEVER compost flowering weeds or weeds that have turned to seed.
Clean Out Flower Beds
Every autumn, we cut our plants back and clean out the flower beds for spring. Somehow, there are always plants that get missed, leaves that fall late, and debris that blows in with the wind. Now that spring is days away, take a moment to walk your property and assess your flower beds and gardens. If you see that clean-up is needed, get your garden tools together and get to work (I usually will not do this until the temperature reaches at least 50 degrees, because the ground is still cold and I am a wuss).
Once you remove the dead plants, decaying leaves, and anything else that doesn’t belong, you will likely find some weed growth beginning. Take care and dispose of those now.
Keep your pruners and loppers handy and trim the shrubs (if you didn’t do so in the fall) to prepare for new growth, if appropriate. Check the base of the bush to ensure the absence of weeds.
Preventing Weed Growth
There are many ways to significantly reduce weeds in your flower beds and garden:
- Preen Weed Preventer. Once you weed your beds, sprinkle Preen (per package instructions). This keeps weeds away for about 3 months!
- Install landscape fabric. Investing in this special fabric is worthwhile for your flower beds to keep weeding to a minimum. Simply rake your ground cover (mulch, stone, etc) onto a tarp, measure and cut the fabric, and apply to the ground. Hold the material in place with garden staples. Since the material is easy to cut with heavy duty scissors, existing plantings are easy to work around. Then, rake your ground cover back into place.
- Apply mulch as directed, which is about four inches thick. Doing this provides a barrier for weeds, but also keeps moisture in your soil longer, helping your plants to stay hydrated. Use caution to keep mulch from the base of trees, plants, and shrubs; you don’t want to smother the plants!
- Apply a “weed and feed” to your lawn based on the manufacturer’s instructions for your area. Usually, this process is recommended in early spring and again in early autumn. Applied with a broadcast spreader, this product is designed to fertilize your lawn and eliminate weeds.
Enjoy Your Weed-Free Flower Beds
Now, you can sit back and enjoy your blossoming flower beds for months to come without the unsightly presence of weeds.
Take the time this spring to prepare your beds, and you will be able to add annual and perennial plants native to your area to enjoy for seasons to come!
Have suggestions for weed control? Leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you!
Until next time,
April
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