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Winning the weed war |
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Winning the Weed War
Follow these tips and you
will be the victor in the war against the weeds this
summer!
1. Be a mulching maniac. Mulch acts as a suffocating
blanket by preventing light from reaching weed
seeds. At the same time, it holds moisture for your
plants and provides nutrients for your soil as it
decomposes. Apply coarse mulch, such as bark or wood
chips, directly onto soil. Leaves, grass clippings,
or straw work better as a weed deterrent with a
separating layer of newspaper, cardboard, or
fabric between them and the soil.
2. Water those weeds. Pulling weeds is easier and
more efficient when the soil is moist. You are more
likely to get the whole root system, and your
yanking won't disturb surrounding plants as much
either. No rain? Turn on the sprinkler or even water
individual weeds, leave for a few hours, then get
your hands dirty. (Just ignore the strange looks
from your neighbors as you water your weeds.)
3. Cut weeds down in their prime. Weeds love open
soil. But if you till or cultivate, then wait to
plant, you can outmaneuver the weeds. Till the
ground at least twice before you plant. Your first
digging will bring dormant weed seeds to the surface
where they can germinate. Watch and wait for a few
weeks until they begin to grow. Then slice up
the weeds again with a tiller or a hoe, only don't
dig as deep.
Now it should be safe to put precious plants into
the soil.
4. Pass the salt. Try sweeping rock salt into
crevices between paths. Although more harsh, borax
also works well. Be sure to wear rubber gloves with
the latter material. You might need to apply a few
doses, but be aware of any surrounding plants
because both products kill the good plants along
with the bad.
5. Lay down the law. Try using landscape fabric as a
weed controller. Landscape fabric is usually made of
a nonwoven, porous polypropylene fabric, which
enables air, water, and nutrients to reach the soil
but keeps weed seeds in a dark, cool environment
where they can't germinate. You lay down the fabric,
cut a hole where your plants are positioned or will
be planted, then cover the fabric with a 2- to
4-inch layer of mulch or gravel. However, landscape
fabric doesn't work well on steep slopes or windy
sites, where the mulch often slides off or is blown
away, exposing the fabric. Never use plastic, as it
prevents moisture and air from reaching your plants'
roots.
6. Boil them alive. If you have pesky weeds in a
spot with no nearby grass or valuable plants, boil
water and pour it over the unsuspecting weeds. To
control the stream of boiling water and to save
surrounding plants and your toes from a scalding,
use a teakettle.
7. To compost or not to compost. After you've
labored to rid your garden of weeds, be careful that
you don't throw weeds onto the compost heap where
they can drop seed and infect your entire yard. When
you pull or till young weeds, leave them where you
chop them and let the sun dry them out, then use
them as mulch. Throw mature weeds on a hot compost
pile where they should cook at 200 degrees or higher
for several weeks to ensure the seeds are killed.
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| Courtesy Garden Guides |
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