weeds

[VikingBraids]

Hello,

I want to get rid of the weeds in my backyard. They take too much time to weed whack em and I don't want to use anything crazy with a lot of chemicals. Any ideas?

[AdrianM]

Manual Labour and Time

Just spend 15-20 mins a day working an area over. Over time you will get the whole yard done.

The next trick is to then keep patrolling (5-10 minutes a week) and when you see a non wanted species then pull it out before it seeds.

Give it about two springs and you will hardly see any more weeds.

[Taryl]

I use diluted vinegar from Costco.  It's cheap, natural and kills weeds fast.  Non weed plants should be taken into consideration.

[NWstubble]

What kind of area are you talking about? Lawn, garden, landscaping? Scale would be nice to know as well, recommendations will vary if its a small backyard or a half acre.

[BlueMR2]

Manual Labour and Time

Just spend 15-20 mins a day working an area over. Over time you will get the whole yard done.

The next trick is to then keep patrolling (5-10 minutes a week) and when you see a non wanted species then pull it out before it seeds.

Give it about two springs and you will hardly see any more weeds.

Exactly this.  It's *much* more effective than using spot treatment of chemicals too.  Pulled weeds don't come back.  Chemically killed ones do...  After the large initial investment in time, I know actually spend *less* time dealing with weeds than when I used spray!

I'm now completely chemical free in the gardens, but I still do use minimum dosages of a combo weed control/fertilizer granules on the main lawn (as our soil is basically sand and it needs the fertilizer component for anything to survive the Summer).

[Insanity]

I wish pulled weeds didn't come back.

I have them come back all the time in our rock beds :(

[Spork]

Depending on the size of the area.... We've had some luck with covering it with newspaper or black plastic and letting it sit a few weeks.  There are some things that just WILL NOT DIE... but this sure gets a lot of them.

[VikingBraids]

I've been patrollling my yard but it's a big yard for one person. I will try the vinegar. I have a dog and want to put in raised beds soon so I don't want anything toxic back there.

[Dynasty]

I'm now completely chemical free in the gardens, but I still do use minimum dosages of a combo weed control/fertilizer granules on the main lawn (as our soil is basically sand and it needs the fertilizer component for anything to survive the Summer).

One option would be to spread a thin layer of compost every early spring. This would amend the sand and turn it into good soil after time.  Or buy alfalfa pellets and apply over the grass with a lawn spreader. 

[PGH]

For weeds in my garden beds, I just pull 'em (and then pull 'em again). We live in a very lush and verdant environment, and this is just part of the price I pay. I do mulch like a crazy person (bark in the perennial beds and loads of shredded leaves in the raised veggie beds), but the mulch inevitably gets pushed around by hard rain or critters.

For weeds in my garden paths, I use pickling vinegar (which has more acetic acid) or I pour boiling water on them. As a Master Gardener, I've been taught to be sensitive about recommending herbicides, but there are a few that are less damaging to the environment than one might think. I've also torched the weeds, which is both fun and permanent.

[Bakari]

huge amounts of mulch.

keeps moisture in, weeds seeds out, blocks sunlight to weeds already in the ground.
you have to pull existing weeds once, and renew the mulch every season, but it will make for slightly more than zero weeds ever again

[Jamesqf]

First we need to know where you live, and what sort of weeds you have.  Very few methods work on everything, everywhere.

[mensa]

As suggested above, manual labour and time.

We've got an 8500 sq ft lot. When we moved in 4 years ago, the dandelions and plantain were taking over. The first couple of years were the worst, but this year I worked at it for 1/2 - and hour early in the morning (I'm up with the sun) for a couple of weeks, now I simply patrol for the odd one. Perhaps I'm a loon, but I find it a very peaceful way to spend my early morning.

[rusty]

I would also recommend mowing your grass at a higher setting.  I used to cutting my grass as low as possible, but then read somewhere that the blade of grass has to work hard at growing a longer blade for photosynthesis.  So it's efforts go to replacing the blade and not growing better roots. 

Once I started cutting at a 3" setting, I noticed the grass would naturally choke out the weeds with a strong roots system.  Yard looks nicer also.

[happy]

Lots of good advice already.
The only thing I have to add is that you should always weed and cover. My first garden was a neglected garden with oodles of weed seed. I would weed  a patch one weekend, get distracted by life...then 2-3 weeks later the weeds looked the same..

So weed a patch and either the same day or within 2-3 days cover the bare ground with newspaper/cardboard and mulch, or just deep mulch. And then plant.  Bare soil just gets more weeds.  Keep the ground covered either with plants or mulch.

+1 for a regular weed patrol. Once you get it under control "a stitch in time saves nine".  Try not to ever let weeds flowers and seed.

[charles_roberts]

Manual Labour and Time

Amen.

Hard work goes a long way!