Weeds are by far one of the biggest challenges that gardeners face. But it doesn’t have to be that way and I promise to show you how to get a handle on weeds and keep them under control forever with a few simple steps.
Weeds out of control.
What it takes to make a weed happy.
Mike! Are you crazy? I don’t really care to make my weeds happy!
Yes, I’m crazy. I just bought two Miniature Donkeys for no apparent reason. And that’s far from the only thing that qualifies me as be crazy.
Weed seeds germinate before your eyes.
Back to the weeds.
You have to understand what it takes to make weeds happy so you know which things to remove from their life. Once removed the weeds wither away and die and new ones don’t return.
Weeds need these three things.
Water.
Sunlight.
Nutrition.
Ut-Oh. That ain’t good because all of the plants in our landscape need those same three things, how can we possibly take them away?
We can’t remove the water because Mother Nature is in charge of that most of the time and our plants cannot survive without water. We can’t remove nutrition because our plants need the nutrition even more so than the weeds. So that only leaves us one thing we can control.
How One Guy Sold $500 Worth of Plants to His First Customer.
Weeds get out of control quickly.
Sunlight.
Weeds need sunlight, and yes Martha, we can control that. Controlling sunlight is easy because most of our plants grow at least a few inches above the soil so if we control or block the sunlight at the soil level. That will not affect our plants, they will still receive all the sunlight they need, but the weeds will not. Startin to make sense?
Two really easy ways to control sunlight.
Mulch.
2-1/2″ to 3″ of mulch does an excellent job of blocking sunlight to the surface of the soil, therefore the itty bitty, teeny weenie, weeds can’t possibly survive because they have no sunlight. And it’s important for you to understand that in order for you to control weeds, you have to get a handle on them when they are in that itty bitty, teeny weenie stage.
Right about here I’m going to toss in a short video that I just made because this is really about Interrupting the life cycle of weeds. This video also sorta features the Action Hoe which I have shown you in the past.
So in other words, when and where you can not control sunlight, you only other options are chemical weed control and cultivation. Cultivation works great, but pay attention to the video. Because in order for cultivation to work, you have to be on top of it and not be a week, two weeks or three weeks late with your cultivation. You have to do it on time! If you do, you will win the battle of the weeds.
One more thing about the movie.
Pay close attention to what we did before we planted. We tilled the soil, we let it sit undisturbed for a week or so in the hot sun, then we tilled it again, we let it sit and we tilled it again. The tilling took out millions of weed seeds and itty bitty weeds. The hot sun killed the vegetation that we disturbed in the tilling process.
Huge, huge, huge point.
Read that last sentence again. The hot sun killed the vegetation that we disturbed in the tilling process. So in other words, by tilling, allowing the soil to rest and tilling again and again, we eliminated all of the active roots in the soil. That’s a big, big point, make sure you grasp that.
Another thing about the movie.
Did you see all of those weeds I was taking out with that action hoe? No you didn’t. That’s because those weeds were so small the video camera did not capture them. But they were there. Thousands and thousands of them. Have any idea what that little tomato garden would look like in three weeks if I hadn’t done that?
But by getting to them when I did, getting rid of them was a breeze.
Controlling weeds in our Japanese maple growing area.
The second way to control sunlight.
Newspaper or cardboard.
Step one. Get the bed under control just like we did in the movie. No weeds in sight, no active roots hiding in the soil. Now you can use newspaper, 9 layers thick over the soil, then mulch over that. Newspaper used as described does an excellent job of controlling weeds and weeds seed. However, it won’t last forever.
Weeds love mulch! They eat it up.
Not right away they don’t, but mulch decomposes into some really, really nice topsoil and that’s good for your gardens, it’s good for your plants, but it’s also good for the weeds. So you have to know that newspaper and or cardboard and mulch are a temporary things that work great for a time. But there is an end to their effectiveness and if you are really, really smart, and I know you are, you’ll stay on top of the situation and as soon as you see a weed you will eliminate it immediately.
Controlling weeds around Canadian Hemlock trees.
The Dreaded Discussion about Weed Control Fabric.
Does weed control fabric work? Here’s an article with photos.
The only thing that weed control fabric has ever done for me is make me crazier than I already am. Listen, it’s not my purpose to bash garden products and I hate doing it. But I have an obligation to you, my loyal subscriber, and it would be completely wrong of me to let you believe that this stuff is going to make your life easier. Re-read the paragraph above about how much weeds love mulch.
That’s the problem with weed control fabric.
When you put the mulch on top of the weed control fabric, eventually, and it really doesn’t take all that long, the mulch decomposes, turns into topsoil, then the weeds start growing on top of the weed control fabric, the roots of the weeds find their way through the fabric, get firmly rooted into the soil, then guess what’s caught between the soil and the weeds. The weed control fabric! The weed control fabric because an innocent buy stander and can’t get out of the way, nor can it be easily removed.
Weed Control Fabric Lasts Forever in the Soil!
It doesn’t work forever, but once it’s in there it stays until it is removed, and you gotta trust me on this, I spent 20 years re-landscaping homes. I’ve re-landscaped over 500 homes, I know what I’m talking about. I know what it’s like to remove weed control fabric once the situation has gotten out of hand. It’s not easy! It’s dang hard. And . . . get this, you can’t till the soil if it’s in there! It’s a flat out mess that only brute bull work, hard labor can fix.
Does it ever make sense to use Weed Control Fabric?
Absolutely it does. I think that weed control fabric is necessary if you are going to put small stones in your landscape. The weed control fabric actually keeps the stones from working their way into the soil.
But. But, but, but!
It can still go wrong. Dust blows in and pretty soon there is enough soil on top of the fabric for weeds to grow. If you don’t stay on top of the situation, you will have a mess. I promise you will.
Chemicals. I Loves Me Some Chemicals.
I know I am going to get blasted for saying that, but folks, we’re all grown ups and I have to face the facts. I know that many of those that will read this article have no problem at all going into the garden store and buying chemical weed controls. And I am going to be perfectly honest with you, I couldn’t run my nursery without pre-emergent herbicides. The weeds would put me out of business in a month!
I do everything in my power to not spray insecticides, but weed control I have to use.
So, knowing what I know about people I would be doing many of you a disservice by not having this discussion. Basically there are two types of chemicals that are typically used for weed control.
Post Emergent.
A post emergent herbicide is used to control weeds that have already germinated and are actively growing. Most of these are considered non-selective which means they are designed to kill weeds and plants in a responsible way. Not by poisoning the soil, but by interrupting the internal function of the weeds. Being non-selective they will kill or seriously damage any plant that they touch.
The most popular post emergent herbicides are the ones that contain glyphosate because it only attacks the plant and not the soil. Others will tell you differently, but I have been using these kinds of post emergent herbicides for at least 37 years and the only thing that I can report are positive results. Am I proud of the fact that I’ve used chemical weed control for 37 years? No I am not. I’m disappointed that an organic alternative has not been found that works equally as well. But it’s just not out there.
Why Weed Sprays Don’t Work for You.
Cause you ain’t doing it right, that’s why. Most people think they can spray the weeds then take the summer off. But it’s not that simple. Post emergent herbicides only control the weeds that are showing and do absolutely nothing for the weeds seed in the soil. You have to control both, and you have to do so with different techniques and strategies as described above.
Do not over apply weed killers. More isn’t better. More makes them less effective. When applying a post emergent herbicide, #1, read the label and follow the directions exactly as they describe including any protective clothing recommended.
Do Not mix the product stronger than recommended. If you do, you will not get good results. Glyphosate works by being translocated throughout the weeds that you are trying eliminate. If you over apply the product you will shut down the plant and the product will not be distributed throughout the plant as it needs to be. For best results apply at the recommended rate.
Do not apply to the point of run off. It really only takes a very small amount to do the job. Only spray the leaves not the roots. These sprays work from the top down, not the roots up. If you have product dripping off the leaves you are applying to much.
Pre-Emergent Herbicides.
A pre-emergent herbicide is an herbicide that prevents weed seeds from germinating and I promise you they work really, really well when used correctly. But keep in mind, they only control weed seeds, so you have to get rid of all of the existing weeds, and the active roots in the soil before you apply a pre-emergent herbicide. I explained exactly how to do that above.
One of the most popular pre-emergent herbicides on the retail market is Preen. Lots of people will tell you that it doesn’t work, they’ve tried it, it just doesn’t work. Keep in mind, at the beginning of the video I tell you that most people never get ahead of the weed control game. Preen works if you have your beds free of weeds before you apply it. Questions about Preen? Check their Website for Answers.
We use a lot of pre-emergents in the nursery business. Because, if we didn’t the weeds would put us out of business. I know people don’t like to hear that, but it is the reality of anybody that does farming.
My Hat is Off to Organic Gardeners the World Over.
But most nursery owners and farmers will tell you that they use a lot of organic gardening practices in their business, but they won’t claim to be organic gardeners because there are times when chemicals have to be used. I dream of the day when that won’t be the case, but right now it’s not the reality.
How One Guy Sold $500 Worth of Plants to His First Customer.
Questions, comments, mean hateful things to say to me? post them below.
My brother’s vacation house hasn’t had a visit in a long while, and so when we headed back to it after two months or so we were greeted with some of the nastiest and tallest weeds I’ve ever seen. We wanted to get some tips to help get rid of the weeds, and so I found it helpful when you offered different ways of handling the sunlight needed for weeds to grow. As much as we want to get rid of them, there are plants around them that we want to preserve as well, and so the tip about mulch especially helped the most. We’ll be getting a contractor to help us clear out the weeds and then we’ll take note of the precautionary measures to make sure they don’t come back.
To get rid of the weeds, you need to understand what really sustains them. This blog from Mikes Backyard Nursery focuses on providing you the information to understand weeds. The article further discusses different weed control methods and how or what they can do for and their efficiency in controlling weeds.
Michael,
I’d be interested in testing and learning more about the organic weed control that you offer.
As a passionate gardener, my biggest challenge has always been weeds. I never knew that there was one place where I could get all the knowledge I needed to get rid of this nuisance. After only a week of implementing the knowledge learnt here, there are no weeds in my garden and I have never been a more proud gardener.
I had no idea that if you spray more weed spray it doesn’t make it better, it actually makes it less effective. We have a very bad weed problem in our back yard and my husband tried to control it but he just spent a lot of money on chemicals and it’s getting worse. I think it’s time to call a pest control company so that they can quickly and effectively get rid of them.
I have typically been a chemical free gardener. I worry about what weed killers may do to the toads, frogs, and my pets. I work at a garden center and this spring I had to attend a chemical seminar. A rep from Messina was there and talked about their Pulverize line of weed control. It is a glyphosate free weed killer and considered natural. Iron HEDTA is the active ingredient. I asked many questions about it and deemed it safe for me to try.
This stuff works great! Every customer I have suggested it to has bought it. Just the other day a customer came to the register with a bottle. I commented on how I loved the stuff. He agreed and said it was the best weed killer he’s found.
https://www.pulverize.com/
Interesting Nicole, thank you!
I am disabled and have a back yard full of weeds and unwated trees growing from cut stumps, the biggest trees are about four to five inches. I am not physically capable of tilling, digging, hoeing the area and can’t afford to pay someone to do it. If I buy a few large black tarps, cover the area for the summer would that kill existing weeds and seeds from the excess heat generated and lack of light? I know the irritation of dealing with weed fabric and won’t use it. Would tarps work as long as they are removed before soul can gather on top of them? It is an area impossible to till due to the trees…. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Lisa,
I’d say that idea should work.
In the mile-high deserts of New Mexico, Mother Nature is pretty stingy with water. Fossil tree rings have shown droughts that have lasted 75 years or more. The weeds that grow here are tougher–Goatheads, being one of them. The seed is covered with thick thorns that can penetrate the soles of flip-flops. They are everywhere, and can survive for years on the surface without germinating. One way to passively control them is to leave alone the nests of Harvester Ants native to the area. True to their name, they gather seeds off the surface of the ground and eat them. They don’t dig up seeds I’ve planted. They’re not perfect neighbors. If you molest them in any way, they sting like their cousin, the Wasp. If you step on them wearing shoes, they will spray the shoe as they die with a pheromone that identifies the shoe as a deadly enemy, and they will swarm all over you when you come anywhere near them. This pheromone retains its power for years. You WILL be stung repeatedly. I found that by wearing flip flops or even walking barefoot in my garden among my Butternut Squash vines, I encounter no more goatheads, and since soft shoes/bare feet don’t kill the ants, they pretty much ignore me. Bare feet work best to keep from crushing your vines as you work your way through to check for and kill Squash Bugs and/or Aphids.
What is the name of that vine that twirls around everything?
Probably wild morning glory.
Try using Tobacco Tea…….or 1 gallon of Vinegar and 1 box Salt in 1 gallon of water
I know that salt does a good job of killing stuff, trees even, if you drill deep holes in the trunk and keep filling the holes. I only use it in areas that I don’t want anything to grow and have a running battle with honeysuckle vines that keep trying to invade my lawn and garden. I let things go for a couple of years { I am 74 and sometimes my health is not too good, so I have gotten lazy and avoid working outside because of bad joints or joint replacements needing time to heal}. This year I don’t have a garden due to long cold spring that instantly turned into summer extreme heat. All my raised beds are totally weed infested. I will have to really weed by hand {I have a lot of soaker hoses “planted” under the soil} leaving all the dandelions, plus my perennial garlic and asparagus that keep coming up despite neglect. I know that I did it to myself, but just the thought of all the work needed is intimidating. it is almost like starting from scratch. I have saved all the cardboard that comes my way so will be able to put it down on the areas as I clear them, disposing of the heavy weeds that I will pile up in a corner of my yard and let nature compost them. I might put down black plastic during this “heat wave” summer, and cook the weeds & seeds before I weed. Always enjoy your e-mails & advice. Keep up spreading good advice.
Have you ever tried the weed killer by a company called Neudorff its a natural product made from geranium extract not harmful to our bees and other important pollinators or us and it works really well, even on mares / horsetail we use only this on the allotment I run and is knocking back everything it touches.. works like if not better than glyphosate
Our Neighborhood Association is doing a “boulevard re-planting” project. We have about 10 blocks (total length 1/4 mile) of center boulevard strips to plant with donated perennials & native plants (small trees are already there). The problem is the land is owned by the City Park Board, who prepped the site for us. They used weed control fabric, covered by 1/2 inch to 6 inches of shredded tree bark mulch. The mulch is very uneven in depth and tends to wash down to the middle area of the boulevard during a rain (boulevards are “U shaped” with higher sides near the curb & a 8 inch center depression trench where the trees are planted. .
Our problem is after 2 years of nothing in this boulevard, the weeds are bad & growing on top of the barrier fabric & in the mulch like you said. We had no control over what the Park Board did on the prepping of the site, the weed barrier fabric & mulch. application.
Other than hand pulling the weeds before we plant, what else can we do this summer when we have planting sessions? And what can we do in future summers to decrease the weed population ? (removing the weed barrier fabric is not an option).
Catherine,
This is a sad story and happening all over the place. As much as people don’t want to hear it, and trust me parks, landscapers, nurseries and just about anybody else that maintains outdoor property would simply spray the weeds with generic roundup and apply a pre emergent to keep the weed seeds from germinating. One the weeds are dead, the fabric would be easier to remove, but still not at all easy. I get beat up all the time about using roundup but the short answer is I just do not believe all of the negative babble about the product. So much of what is written online about it is just flat out false.
Mike, the problem I read with Glyphosate is that it can work on your gut bateria casue them the same problem as weeds, then you don’t digest properly and gain weight. I read this after I moved to an area where round-up was used so much it got into the ground water and we were drinking it. My stomach was always upset and I gained 30 pounds in 6 months! When I left the area and got clean water, I dropped the 30 pounds, but returning gained it back. I can not say that is exactly the cause, but it sure made sense to me.
What my husband does is burn those weeds! It is called a Weed Dragon and hooks to propane. I don’t really know how effective it is on the weeds, but it makes him feel like Superman, so it is doing some good! I tend to feed weeds to the ducks, especially the flowers, they gobble them up! Am planting ground cover and cover crops that I like, plus using cardboard.
Thanks so much on the advice on weed fabric, I was just trying to decide on using it around apple trees and now I won’t!!!!!
I have bad neighbors that do not use weed control! I have killed my lawn and sterilized the soil twice and started over with Kentucky bluegrass. It cost me a pretty penny. It was great until Homes sold and new neighbors. I know have clover and broadleaf again that is taking over. What can I do without killing everything again? Please help
DJ,
The answer is simple. Just apply a weed and feed product that contains a broadleaf weed control. It will do a great job.
I use old carpet strips. I lay them in the spring and toss them in the fall. No weeds in between my rows and added benefit I can work in my garden even after heavy rain.
Old carpet strips might work in the open air but I heard of big problem using them in a closed environment like a greenhouse. Just want to mention that.
Thank you for offering advice even when it may irritate people (like using herbicides).
Do you realize how few people on the internet offer the help you do? You’ve been an inspiration and a huge help to me.
Thanks,
Ed
Thanks Ed, I appreciate that.
This looks like an old thread of conversation. Be that as it may, I concur 1,000% with your advice regarding Landscaping Cloth. Worst thing that was ever done to parts of my property 30+ years ago…I’m still paying the penalty for it.
. . . and I soooo feel your pain.
Hi Mike,
Hopefully you are still monitoring this thread. I just moved into a single family home with a heavily neglected yard. Just my luck that it is beginning of summer and I live in Southern California. Goal is over the next month to at least get to a point where I can re seed the lawn. First hurdle is all the weeds, mostly crabgrass but just about everything is growing in one spot or another.
My plan was to treat with a post emergent, rip/dig/cut/pull the weeds out (all of um) and then treat with a pre-emergent for good measure. Monitor for about 2 weeks to pull anything that sneaks by and re seed the lawn.
Is this a good plan? Should I ditch the post emergent if I’m just going to dig it up anyway. Any feedback helps.
Give me your ‘best practices plan’ and then your ‘works during the week, weekend warrior plan’
Carter,
This is for a lawn.
1. Spray all of the weeds, crabgrass etc. with a post emergent herbicide like Roundup that doesn’t have a residual effect. As long as you get good spray coverage and the lawn is level, you don’t have to dig and chop and do all of that work. You can simply re-seed over what you sprayed.
2. Do not use a pre emergent on a lawn that you intend to seed. You can apply a pre emergent for crab grass next spring.
3. Re seed and apply lots of straw and water daily.
Me? I’d let it go until fall, it’s really difficult to establish a lawn in the heat of the summer. Around here I’d do it in mid September.
More here https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2014/02/lawn-installation-hand-seeding-hydro-seeding-or-sod-which-is-better/
and here http://freeplants.com/lawnrenov.htm
Mike,
You are absolutely right. I live in Savannah, Georgia and have had the exact same experiences with weeds and weed control methods that you have. The previous owner of our 1952 built home had a real green thumb. I always marveled at how some beds never seemed to have tall weeds and weeds never really took over despite my lack of attention. Then while digging around one of those beds I found his secret – a thick layer of newspaper. There were small weeds in the mulch on top but none could get through. They could only grow in the few inches of topsoil above the paper layer and would die off in the hot summer and cool winters.
Meanwhile in other beds that I created I put down weed cloth and and really thick black plastic from an industrial source, It was way thicker than the garden stuff. But both products eventually broke-down enough that weed roots got thru unless I used the Strap Hoe, what you call an Action Hoe to stay on top of them nearly daily. Any time I missed more than 4 days boom they were back.
When I tried to pull up both the fabric and the plastic sheets I got so angry I was ready to pave over my whole yard.!. It bends just enough to envelope the shovel head to keep it from getting under the soil and holds on more tenaciously then a baby to a binkie! Instead of a 1/2 day project to remove that crap it took me 2 full weekends.
When I replanted that bed I got some refrigerator boxes from Home Despot. laid down about 4 layers worth. cut holes for the plants and put light mulch over it just to hid it. Now I use that hoe about twice a week for less than 5 minutes and love it.
Thanks for reaffirming my views of weed cloth and plastic.
And I hope all your readers will recognize that there is really no set-it-and-forget-it method to weed control.
Allen
Allen,
Great story, great observations and I’m glad you are winning the battle of the weeds.
thx Mike. I have a weed question. Most of my plants are perennials. So I wait until they start coming up before weeding so not to pull up my flowers. I also wait to use a pretty emergent. You’ve guessed it. Every year I have enough mess to make me not want to plant another thing. What can I do.
Aleta,
Best thing to do is get the bed weed free, even if you do one small area at a time, then dig and divide or plant your perennials. Put down cardboard or 9 layers of newspaper, mulch then a good pre emergent. You have to re apply the pre emergent as soon as you seed a few weeds. A think layer of mulch is a great thing.
Mike – I love your advice on weeding. I had someone help me with landscaping an area that had some comfrey. Roundup, rested, rototilled. Well now the comfrey seems to be popping up all over the place. I’d love to go after it with chemicals, but seems like there are so many little pop ups, that it’s almost impossible. Should I be looking to do sheet mulch? Or just have at it with chemicals (protecting the new plants I’ve put in)?? It’s quite aggravating, as you can imagine.
Judy,
If possible spray the weeds that are showing and apply a pre emergent over the area like Preen. What are seeing are probably seedlings and since roundup does not reside in the soil weeds can grow from seeds. A good thick layer of mulch then the pre emergent will solve this problem, but first git rid of any weeds that are now showing or you’ll never win this battle.
I’m so happy I found your site!
Forgot to mention that before I put the paper and wheat straw down in the fall, I put mushroom compost down first. One time I used llama manure from an organic farmer but usually always mushroom compost. I am 100% organic other than whatever may be in the wheat straw. I may try Weed Guard Plus biodegradable weed fabric next year.—-will have to do some research on that. Am starting to worry about what chemicals are used on the wheat straw.
I only use Spectracide on the few weeds growing on street curb or on a few cracks in my driveway—ha, would love a new driveway. Tired the vinegar/salt but only kept the weeds out for about a week and a half-2 weeks.. Spectracide lasts all summer. My vegetable garden is organic, and I put down heavy layer of wheat straw in the fall over 3 or more sheets thick of paper. Of course, I have no weeds come Spring, but the wheat that sprouts and grows is somewhat of a pain to get out of the garden. I guess I should not put the straw on in the Fall to give the wheat so long to sprout and grow, but it sure beats having all he weeds sprouting in the garden. After I have gotten all the wheat out of the straw which I just lie on top of the straw for added mulch, then I just part the straw , plant , and place the straw back over the planting area. I never have to weed ever doing this. After harvest is through in the Fall, I just put down my 3 layers of paper, and a lot of straw. Other than pulling wheat out of my garden in early spring, I cannot remember ever weeding my garden. I go to the newspaper here, and they give me “end rolls” of unprinted newspaper for free. Wide rolls of paper and very easy to roll out for the garden. My garden is not all that big—-270 sq ft, but this has always worked well for me. I just love never having to weed!!
Thanks Donna, love what you are doing!
I have native (to SW Arizona) milkweed taking over and strangling my 12 x 12 foot Harrison’s Yellow Rose. Since that rose produces canes that are thick with sharp, tiny thorns removing the milkweed — even with welding gloves — is an incredibly painful (for me) process. The weed is literally growing over, under, through and smothering my rose allowing it very little sunlight. I’ve managed to keep the rose alive, for six years since this weed showed up, only by regularly combing and ripping the weed’s vines off the top of the rose with a sturdy garden rake; which the rose suffers damage from as well, but manages to survive. PLEASE, tell me you have a solution, other than my lame attempts at combing? I’ve thought of waiting until the rose goes dormant & then spraying the soil around it — as the weeds are heavily entangled in the rose’s root zone, however, if the weed is dormant also, I am doubting it would serve any good purpose? I’ve search the web over & cannot find something that will kill the weed and not the rose also. The butterflies don’t come to this variety of milkweed so, for me, there is no point in keeping it or sacrificing my rose for it. Thank you for any suggestions you can offer. Peace & blessings!
Rachel,
I don’t think you are going to find a spray that will kill the milk weed and not the rose. If were me I’d wait until the rose is completely dormant then cut it back to about 12″ within the ground, remove the milkweed completely, roots and all. Put down a thick layer of cardboard all around the rose, then at least 3″ of bark mulch or something similar. Then with a spray bottle or a foam paint brush treat any new part of the weed that appears with a non selective herbicide as soon as it appears.
In the first image of weeds, I see lots of purslane. It’s amazing in salads and sandwiches – slightly tart taste, and a nice crunch if you use it fresh or keep it cold. It’s so full of vitamins, minerals, and Omega-3s that it’s considered a ‘power food’.
If we don’t have any in our yard(s), we look for it in fields.
If you research it’s benefits, you wouldn’t consider it a weed anymore.
I was wrong – it’s the second image.
If you can tell me what to do with a yard that’s full of rocks and bricks, but I have no money to get more soil you’ll be the best in the world.
Kinsella,
I”m guessing that you don’t need more soil but the only thing you can do is hand pick the rocks and bricks that are protruding high enough to interfere with the grass and or landscape beds. Rocks and bricks below the surface in both the lawn and the landscape are not a huge problem except when you go to dig. Over the years I’ve installed a number of lawns that were completely strewn with big rocks. All you can do remove the ones from the surface then seed over those that are below the surface.
Hi Mike,
I appreciate all that you do for gardeners like me. I grow many veggies in my 25′ x 50′ garden, especially 40 Rutgers tomato plants for home canning. I’ve had very good luck tilling well in the spring, then covering the soil around & overlapping each plant with newspaper covered with straw & Preen between the rows. The paper / straw keeps the weeds at bay pretty well throughout the growing season but initially it’s a lot of work… well worth it work however!
The Preen, obviously, will eventually become ineffective. I’ve thought to use one of those small, tillers between the rows but as of yet, I haven’t bought one.
My question is; what are your thoughts about an organic vegetation killer made of 1 gal. of Vinegar, two cups of (dissolved) table Salt and a couple of squirts of Dish washing detergent (Like Dawn). Understand this will KILL all (smaller) vegetation (not trees)! My neighbor swears by it & she sprayed it on her lawn, where she did not want vegetation and a month later, after SEVERAL heavy rains, is still BARE! Plants are not suppose to return, which infers damage to the soil? It appears to be inexpensive & effective, but at what cost to the soil?
Your thoughts.
Terry,
I would consider that solution very much non selective, which means it will kill what it touches. Much like Roundup. But I’m pretty sure the salt is what is lingering in the soil. It’s really not something that I would use. It would probably great for grass growing in the cracks of a sidewalk where you don’t want anything to grow at all. If you buy a Mantis tiller I’m sure you’ll love it. But then again, what you are doing now is very effective and if you want to till between the rows you won’t be able to cover. So might just stick with what you are doing.
I have at last found a good use for weed screen. I put it in the bottom of my flower pots to keep the soil in and to keep the Bermuda grass from growing into the holes from the bottom. I tilt my less heavy pots this way and that occasionally to break the Bermuda grass growth off below the pot. It is the best grass for a lawn in red clay in Zone 7 but it does have it’s drawbacks.
The weed screen I use in my pots is the cheapest I can find, usually at the dollar store. The cheap stuff doesn’t interfere with drainage at all. One roll will last for years for this application.
Margaret,
I agree, that is a good use of weed barrier fabric. Thanks for sharing this idea.
Where do you see vinegar and dish soap fitting into the natural gardening picture to combat weeds and insects?
Dixie,
Both vinegar and dish soap serve many purposes in the garden. Weed and insect control and dish soap makes a good wetting agent for soils or peat that won’t take water.
Mike,
As a Master Gardener from Loudoun County VA, specialty vegetables, the strongest chemicals I use are neem, bt & copper-sometimes. Surround and a bucket of soapy water are standard use for me.
And my jaw drops every time I read you love/use chemicals. BUT…I do appreciate your honesty and & I have enjoyed your emails for the last several years.
You are tops in my book-no slamming here!
Normalee Martin
Normalee,
I don’t really “Love” chemicals. Truth be told I use very few chemicals in my nursery, virtually no pesticides at this time. But I have to use to chemicals for weed control as do all commercial growers and farmers. Labor is far too expensive to keep up with this manually and still, we spend thousands of hours pulling weeds and controlling weeds etc.
That looked like alot of purslane. Why aren’t you eating it? It’s a rich source of omega-3’s and other vitamins. 😉 Annnnnnd…hoeing those weeds, or pulling, can be a rhythmic, relaxing chore, with the gift of nice compost material if you do it before seedheads form. Just sayin’! 😉 BTW: lambsquarters also are wonderful in a salad, or blanched and frozen, then added to some quinoa with olive oil and garlic. Mmmm… (Just be sure they’ve not been exposed to a pesticide spray or drift.) ‘Wild Seasons’, by Kay Young, is a great resource for eating wild.
Mike, ….. You and Mike Richie (July 21, 2013) Are right on for weed control. As a Master Gardener in the San Joaquin Valley, Calif.. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the only way to go in the garden/yard. Controlling weeds is a continuous part of gardening and agriculture.. Most people wait until the weeds have set their seed. Remember..”a year of seed means decades of weeds”
Hi I love your website, and I like your advice about weeds. I have raised beds now . so it’s much easier. for my veggies
.However. I live on the open Prairie and I was away for for 6 weeks and when I came back, quack grass had completely taken over my borders, and lawn. Any advice, apart from digging everything up in the fall? Don’t really want to dig up my peonies or giant feather plant..
Best wishes
Iceni,
You only have a few options. Newspaper, cardboard, digging and then heavy mulching, or very carefully applying an herbicide.
Hi Mike
I have found black plastic works best, I use the empty compost bags, cut them open turn them black side up, goodbye weeds.
Put some on my gravel area years ago, never ever seen a weed since.
Kind regards,
Caroline.
What did I do wrong? In the spring, I had a bed in front of my house that thistle had completely taken over! It was so bad, I pulled out all the plants I had in the bed (mostly daylilies, hostas, lavender and ground cover), pulled all the thistle by hand and dug up the roots and then covered the entire bed with a thick black plastic, then cardboard and then a thin layer of mulch, just to make the bed somewhat presentable. Thistle started popping out around the edges, which I expected, but when I took everything off, there were a lot of weeds that “grew” in the middle of the bed, without any sunlight!! How?? It’s like the whole process was a waste of time! Any suggestions?
I have pics if you’d like to see…..
If they grow from roots or bulbs or anything like that,They will still (try) I do mean try to come through anything over them. But if unsuccessful until their energy is exhausted they will die! Good luck, keep at it. You will be successful.
I have been told that storing a pre-emergent in the same location as grass seed is not a good idea; that the pre-emergent willput out vapors that will that may restrict germination of the grass seed. I work at a golf course, both products are stored in the same building as other chemicals, and unfortunately for long periods of time (1+ years). Some of the seed we have tried to use is aged, probably 4 years, of a rye/blue mixture. We used this to slit seed some areas, applying a small layer of topsoil prior to seeding. Our results were abysmal, even with regular watering. Could the way we stored the seed have any impact on our results? Thanks for any info you may provide.
Don’t forget that all seed expires at some point and the older it get, the less germination you will have. I mention this because you mentioned your seed was 4 years old.
if i bought veg seeds and kept it in a glass bottle ( w/metal lid ), the seeds would germinate well within 4 or 5 years.
if i didn’t kept it in a glass bottle, the seeds would not germinate well after 9 months.
therefore the seeds will be no good to use after it contacts w/air too long.
if i bought veg seeds and kept it in a glass bottle ( w/metal lid ), the seeds would germinate well within 4 or 5 years.
if i didn’t kept it in a glass bottle, the seeds would not germinate well after 9 months.
therefore the seeds will be no good to use after it contacts w/air too long.
Hello,
I want to add another possibility for controling weeds: planting competing ground covering plants. If you want to keep an area free from weeds for some time, plant old wheat or rye varieties that stay green over the winter and use small legumes for ground cover. When you want to plant again on the area, you can harvest the grain, use the the staw for mulch and plant whatever you want to grow there.
When you want to keep weeds away from plants like your trees, try to establish hardy perrenial ground covers that will keep the sunlight from the ground.
If the earth is covered with something that doesn’t bother you, invasive weed plants won’t bother too much you either 😉
Also the ground covering plants will help building soil fertility, keeping moisture and make habitat for predators that lowers the risk for pests.
Permacultural greetings from germany!
Nick,
Thank you for you input! Great stuff.
I use vinca minor as ground cover beneath my Bradford pear trees. I have semi shade perennials growing there, and spring bulbs, and they do great! I use vinca major variegata in empty places where nothing else will grow. Works like a charm and easy to control.
Great idea!
Yep, me too. I have interplanted tulips, hostas, azaleas, campanula, 13 classes of narcissus, calla lilies, asiatic lilies, heuchera, hellebore, and irises and daylilies under my Bradford Pears, WITH the vinca minor as ground cover! I just let the leaves drop in the fall and blow them into the bed. Great mulch!
Mike—
Just read your recent e-mail on controlling weeds. I have a comment on your pre-emergent control of weeds thru the use of of a product called PREEN. In my opinion, PREEN sucks as a long term control of weed seeds. PREEN does not kill or prevent weeds from germinating—it only DELAYS germination by 60-90 days. This is probably by design as the manufacturer wants repeat business. They want you to buy more of their product. It’s similar to built in obsolescence; where the customer is forced to replace an item after a determined time of use. A better product for killing and eliminating weed seeds is corn gluten meal. It allows the seeds to germinate; but, does not allow it to develop feeder roots & therefore subsequently dies.
Russ Burnick
Russ,
I don’t think that’s true about Preen. Preen contains Treflan which works like all other pre emergent herbicides. A vapor barrier is formed and as the seeds germinate they are immediately nip in the bud before they can develop. However, most pre emergents only work for about 90 days and then more weed seed blows in. It’s a constant battle if you are not mulching along with the pre emergent. Corn Glutten is said to work, but the rate of application is really high. In other words, you need a lot of it.
Preen sells a very toxic pre-emergent with Trifluralin as the active ingredient, and they also sell a benign pre-emergent with corn gluten meal – very safe. Both products are called Preen Weed Control. So if you care about your health, the health of the fish in the waterways near you, and the health of the planet, be sure to buy the Preen which has the corn gluten meal. It is called Preen Organic Vegetable Garden Weed Preventer.
As more studies are done showing the toxic effects of trifluralin, people should be aware that this chemical is extremely toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. It is also very toxic to the soil environment. Trifluralin has been banned in the European Union for a long time: since March 2008, primarily due to its high toxicity to fish and other aquatic life. It shouldn’t even be allowed to be used here in the US, in my opinion.
So yes, the corn gluten meal costs more – but only in the short run.
Great tip. I like the idea of corn glutan meal. Thanks.
Be careful with where you spread pre-emergent. It can inhibit the growth of bulbs and perennials. I love the stuff but just be careful with it. Another thing to note. Down here in NC you have to put it down very early in the year to stop the crab grass, like 1st or 2nd week in February. Crab grass and other broad leaf weeds get started very early here especially on south facing slopes, lawns, etc.
I would like to know how to keep weeds out of my phlox. When I pull a weed, sometimes I pull up some of the phlox. A neighbor has two beds of phlox & she has weed problems in only one flower bed. Neither of us knows why the difference. Can you help?
Love to read the good information you send us. Thanks for your time.
Betty,
In a bed of Phlox about the only thing you can do is pull the weeds the mulch any open areas with at least 2″ of shredded bark mulch and stay on top of the weeding. One bed worse than another? Sunlight and amount of open space in the bed would be my guess.
DO YOU GROW ELEPHANT EARS ?????
Mine are human ears, Maggie. ( just joking with you)
I used to live in Orlando Florida and grew giant elephant ear plants. The leaves were somhuge, my toddler son and I would standunder these leaves when it rained in the afternoon. The leaves acted like umbrellas. These plants grew in our sandy soil backyard near the house foundation. A very nice sight to see these colocasia (“Taro”) plants.
Just a thought…. Poison mushrooms are both all-natural and organically grown… Just sayin’ … Moderation and common sense go a long way. Add a little chemistry knowledge and not all chemicals do harm. 🙂
Whenever I have to spray a post-emergent herbicide within my beneficials (ornamentals or vegetables), I take the following precaution to avoid killing my plants. I cut the bottom out of an empty bleach bottle, stick just the nozzle only of the sprayer into the top where the cap went and tape around the junction of nozzle and bottle. Make sure you already have the nozzle set to spray a fan pattern and not a straight stream. I place the bottomless bleach bottle over the targeted weed, give one little pfftt and wait just a few seconds for the mist inside the bottle to settle. With the bottom of the bottle sealed against the ground, the walls of the bleach bottle prevent any drift or over-spray that would hurt the beneficial or non-target plants. Because the wand is usually longish, you can perform this task without hardly bending over. Once the majority of weed-seeds have germinated, and I’ve killed them before they went-to-seed, keeping up only requires a few applications per year. Just nail ’em before they make more seed. I have dozens of customers using this method on beds that I’ve built over the years, with great results.
Mike, I love this article and your response to weed control, but the question I have is, Is it alright to cut down my peony bushes now that they are starting to turn brown and look ugly due to the excess heating spell we just went through? I live in Ohio like yourself. Thanks for all your good advise.
I love cardboard and hay straw. Cardboard is free and is a great sun blocker for strips or blocks of ground, and along walkways between rows of veggies for example. On top of that, Wheat straw is a nice clean mulch with the down side that some bails are full of wheat seeds that end up germinating all over, but they are easy to pull up and in the mean time, I’ve kept the more aggressive choking weeds from taking over. Plus my cat loves to lie on it, it keeps the ground clean from rain splattering mud everywhere, and keeps the roots cool in the summer, and looks pretty all bright and golden. I don’t use any commercial products cause I’m a cheapskate and that lead to being creative, using vinegar, or hot water, or cardboard. I only use an herbicide for poison ivy, that and a hazmat suit should suffice. Any advice on what to do with poison Ivy plants? I don’t want to mulch it since the oil survives. I can’t burn it, and I don’t want to put it into the city leaf/limb pick up for someone else to get rashes from touching it or it become mulch and someone gets rashes from it. Any suggestions on where or how to dispose of it once you get it killed?
I put a plastic bag over my hand, pull the poison ivy getting as much root as possible, turn the bag inside out to enclose the plant, and put it in with the landfill trash. This is not an ecologically ideal method, obviously, but at least it doesn’t involve herbicides. For the occasional isolated plant, this works really well — if you’ve got lots of it, though, this method would be tedious. You definitely don’t want to burn it (bad for lungs)!
Mike,
I enjoy your newsletter so much. Do you have a recommendation for getting rid of trumpet vine? They’re popping up everywhere, regardless of what else is already growing there, because they spread rapidly underground with thick woody roots/runners/stems in all directions. I have a natural yard (not a grass lawn) with various groundcovers and native plants.
Pat,
You either have to keep them pulled or carefully apply a weed killer with a paint brush as they appear.
Thanks, Mike!
Pulling’s ineffective in this case — the roots are deep, tough, and branching. I will probably try glyphosate with a brush, as you suggest.
Pat,
The strategy I have found to be most effective long-term is to do a basal bark application of dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2-4-D). I use a product called Crossbow. I use a tiny paint brush, cut any and all growth and inch above the ground and then carefully paint the stem. This is tedious and very time-consuming, but it is a permanent solution! I have successfully eliminated a very heavy infestation of sumac in two years from an entire property using this method. The sumac is gone. But it is fair to warn you, Crossbow will leach into the soil. That’s why I leave an inch of stem above the ground, so the chemical is less likely to get into the soil. I have killed poison ivy around the base of azaleas, but I have seen slight damage to the azalea as a result. So you just have to be super careful!
I cut them off and immediately apply glyphosate to the fresh cut. Only takes one drop.. Do the same for those little weed trees that you can’t pull out.
Thank you for all the good information.
You are so right about staying on top of the little weeds before they get big. I do not have a large garden (only 20×20) in fact first in many many years but I did all of this from the from the beginning and my sisters laugh at me and say my garden looks like a little old retired mans garden. It reminds them of our grandfathers after he retired. I have no weeds in my garden and the rows are perfectly straight and everything is in order and doing wonderful. But staying on top of the weeds from the beginning is definitley the key to a successful garden. Thanks again for all your wonderful insight and sharing your knowledge.
Mike,
In one of the horticulture classes I took, we were told that over tilling will cause the soil to break down and over the years you will see soil levels get lower and lower as it breaks down on a molecular level. Are you amending the soil of your garden areas to prevent this? I ask because I’m not noticing a difference in the level from where your road is to where your plants are.
Sue, for the most part I am not ammending the soil. Not much anyway. Keep in mind I just cleared that ground. Two years ago you couldn’t even walk through it, all grown up in trees and shrubs so thick there was no getting in. We did a lot of clearing!
I use old carpet, and think highly of keeping that waste from our landfills. Water and nutrients pass, and it’s good for reducing mud traffic on shoes. Some weeds and bermuda grass will try to grow through, but shifting the carpet strips a few inches every few months stops that. In two years, weeds are gone without herbicide. Some insect control too. Pull up the mats and look at what you cant tell is there because of being hidden by weeds.
if you use carpet try to find nylon backed carpet it will hold up for many years and you are right about moving it a few inches I do that every few weeks works great between rows also for melons and squash but harder to move then at the end of the season I take it out onto the lawn and hose all the soil off of it so its clean for next year
Mike, I appreciate your “good ole farmboy” approach to gardening. Some people are too concerned with the end results and miss out on the fun and joy of gardening. One can see you enjoy your work and are so willing to share your knowledge, skill, and expertise with other, less experienced, growers…all with a grain of good-natured humor. Keep up the good job you are doing and ignore the “slammers”.
Mike two thing that I haven’t seen mentioned that I would love your opinion on:
1) growing a perennial green mulch of nitrogen fixing plants, clover and hairy vetch would be two good options. They would block the sun and add free nutrients to the soil.
2) chickens, they are fantastic tillers and do a great job of keeping the small weeds in check. They are especially good under evergreens where the low branches make it difficult to cultivate the soil. I think you donkeys need a dozen chicken friends! A bit of electro net fencing would keep them in place and keep the coons out. I got some chickens this year and have been very impressed with abilities, and after all if you dont have chickens then you must do the chickens work!
Chris,
You are not the first to mention chickens, actually many people have suggested it. We’ll see. I like your suggestion of clover and that’s something I should tray around some trees we just lined out. Thanks!
Chickens are great, they can really do a lot of work around the nursery, but are especially great at lightly tilling, eating weed seeds and bugs! And they pay you for their work in eggs.
Don’t just use clover, using a mono-culture green mulch won’t be nearly as effective as 4-5 species together. Other things to consider are flowering plants that will attract and hold predatory insects keeping you pests at bay, yarrow is a good one to try. Also consider plants that are good at mining deep minerals (most tap rooted plants) when these plants die back they’ll leave a layer of mineral rich compost. Comfrey is a great accumulator but can bet a little big.
Also instead of tilling the crap out of an area to kill active weed roots — tilling destroys the mycelium and therefore soil structure, and can cause upto 1/3 rd of the organic matter to rapidly decompose and leave the soil as a variety of gasses — try planting a heavy cover crop of buckwheat. When it flowers roll over it or otherwise knock it over and very lightly incorporate it into the soil. Buckwheat will shade out the weeds killing them and then provide a very high quality mulch to the soil, kinda a two for one!
Take me off your mailing list, Mike. Glyphosate is of the devil.
Hello Mike!
I have a solution that has worked well for my garden and is cheap. I use newspaper or the brown paper grocery bags to cover the soil that is not planted and put mulch on top. They let rain though but keep the light away. The paper also decomposes after a while, no mess. I have used grass clippings for mulch, also cheap.
I used this method also for my raised beds and have great weed control. Hope this helps.
Hi Mike , hubby and I really appreciate your emails and website.
This spring Ernie turned a third of our veggie garden into a lawn area.
We usually had potatoes planted and weeds were kept under conrol with the hoeing up of the spuds. Well the lawn has come up very nicely, and been mowed about 3 times now. Still full of tiny different weeds.
We can not get weed and feed here in Alberta anymore. Anyone have suggestion what to use on a new lawn for the weeds?? ugh!
I have dozens of hours university-level soil science education from one of the foremost agronomists (soil scientists) in the world, and all herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides destroy the soil, pollute the water, and make soil better suited for weeds…this coming from a brave professor who must walk a fine line between not getting fired by his bio-chemical university sponsors and telling the truth as he has spent decades learning. There are hundreds of studies from INDEPENDENT (not chemical company) scientists proving the huge and varied dangers of these products developed by eugenicists (people that wish us “useless eaters” would die right after spending all our money on disease management at their doctor/hospital). Your generation may have seemingly gotten away with poisoning the earth just to make a dollar, but those days are over. You have grandchildren and children, and Mother Earth is simply no longer going to take the myriad ways we poison her. Entire ecosystems are breaking down, and she’s trying to wake us up to how we are destroying our own home. Is saving a little work and appealing to a wider audience really worth further jeopardizing your grandchildren’s inheritance? There are lots of places to learn how to poison the earth, and the back of the bottle says how to mix and apply the hazardous material, must you really condone using it, too? Why not just poison your little corner of the world in shame and keep it to yourself?
I hear you.
Olympia, I’m an 82 year-old farmer who is now growing my best crops ever thanks to modern herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides and my land is producing better than ever as I disc, harrow, plow, and till the hell out of it. Back in the day, we were lucky to get 1/2 to 3/4 a bale of cotton per acre. Now, I’m averaging over 4 – 5 bales an acre. The same goes for all my other fruit and vegetable crops as well.
So, until, I see your so-called professor putting his words into actual action out in an actual field, I have to heartily disagree with what you are being taught in school. Remember, those that can’t do, teach and brainwash those they are supposed to be teaching.. And remember that controversial chemical, DDT, well it is now being used quite successfully to combat malaria in Africa in the correct dosages instead of going hog wild with it like we did here in the U.S. back when I was much younger.
Keep up the great work, Mike! We need more teachers like you and less like those teaching Olympia.
Some people have never been on a real vegetable farm and are clueless. Read all the books ya want!
I agree
What about 2 4 D? I’ve heard it is the next thing to Agent Orange. Is it? Sherry.
Even worse than Glyphosate
Sherry, 2-4-D is the toxic half of Agent Orange. It is deadly. Weed-B-Gone is 2-4-D. It was originally formulated in the mid-late 1800’s by the U.S. military (don’t recall which branch…) to be used as a paint stripper, de-greaser. Original usage had nothing to do with horticulture. It’s toxicity was observed, and was later added to Mustard Gas to make Mustard Gas deadly. It’s effects on vegetation were also noted, and in Viet Nam it was mixed with 2-4-5-T (which is NOT toxic but banned globally) to make Agent Orange….used to DEFOLIATE the jungles so the enemy troops could not longer hide. It doesn’t kill weeds…never has,…never will. Production ceased in 1972. Dow Chemical was one of the biggest producers. The distribution rights are now owned by Monsanto. By the way, dilution does not decrease toxicity, and the damages it causes in humans and animals is permanent, hereditary, and accumulative. It makes no sense to me why anyone would want to use one of the worst Military grade weapons in existence as a defoliant, just to have the same weeds come back next growth cycle bigger, stronger, and resistant to the chemical.
This fact sheet explains what 2,4 D is and how it works. I found it very interesting. http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/24Dgen.html
Mike,
Congratulations on the weight lose. I have planted ground cover (pachysandra) and I’m getting a lot of weeds in that area. I thought I had gotten rid of all that when I planted the ground cover. Any suggestions for how I can get rid of weeds around all the ground cover I just put in without harming my new plants? That action hoe looks neat. Don’t know if its too wide for the area I’m talking about., I’m in my 60’s and afraid of having a heart attack with pulling all the weeds by hand. Will the Round Up product (if it rains) run off and in the ground and kill the pachysandra?
Thanks for all your articles. I appreciate the time and effort you take giving us your valuable information. Please continue. Take care –
Sue Gartner
Mike, I was going to ask you when you would talk about the action hoe because I think it is the greatest invention yet for gardens. I’ve only know them as hula hoes, however. Maybe that’s because mine is clost to 50 years old, really, and still going strong. I’m pretty sure the nursery where I bought it called it a hula hoe back in the late 60’s. Of course, I don’t have a huge area to use the hoe on, but still…over 45 years…now that’s amazing.
Darlene,
I have heard them called hola hoe, different manufacture, different name for sure. Same principal at work.
There is morning glory vine growing in the asperigus bed . What is the best wat to get morning glory vine out of the asperigus ?
Kim,
More than likely the most effect thing to do at this point is pull it all, keep it pulled and mulch with something where you can.
Mike,
I use lots of non-glossy cardboard on ornamental beds between plants. I also recommend NOT using expensive double/triple ground or dyed mulches, but just free/cheap wood chips from tree work. This seems to work for a full season, and more mulch equals more carbon for the soil. Better to spend the time/labor on pruning/thinning and other important tasks than on expensive mulches and LOTS of weed pulling. Other mulches for over the cardboard might include available shredded leaves or pine needles. Many of the materials we remove from the garden are excellent mulches, unless they harbor harmful diseases/organisms.
Bruce,
I agree, free mulch is great for weed control but not that good if you are trying to grow small plants. Once it’s aged it would be good. But used fresh it robs a lot of nitrogen from the plants. At least that’s the case with small plants.
Another issue I’ve found with shredded trees, is poison ivy. It gets shredded too, and ends up in the flower bed. I’m fighting several patches that were started when I mulched with stuff the tree cutters brought. It’s taken a lot of work to get it under control.
on weed control i use 1/2 galon of white vingar 1/2 box of table salt and fill with water. makes 1 galon of weed control. you can drink it if you want,but its really salty. disolve salt throuly place in sprayer and go after them weeds. don’t spray on your flowers or plants it will brown them like weed killer. this safe for the enviroment to.
Horticulture vinegar is much more stronger 20% compared to 5% of regular vinegar.
And use in bright sunlight.
Actually I disagree with you on weeds as they are a very good food source. Dandelion Greens are one of what we call a nuisance is packed with nutrition.Everything from vitamin A to Q. Saint Ann’s Lace the tops are like carrot tops are great to eat another nuisance that is loaded with vitamins and fiber, Lambs quarters also loaded with nutrition and fiber.
I read today where this guy makes $900.00 year selling just Dandelion greens.
Have a great day
Kenneth C Young
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and BRAVO for the guy making a killing on dandelions
Dandelions are also important food source for bees. One of the earliest in the spring for them.
Mike, I enjoy your articles so much and especially anything about animals. Love the baby donkeys and the photos make me just want to love on them, but I know you will take care of that.
Your article on weed control was spot on as far as I’m concerned. Along that line I have an ongoing battle with kudzoo. It has taken my back fence and several of my ornamental bushes and trees and is heading for the deck. I have been engaged in an ongoing battle for the last 14 years and I’m not winning.
I have used roundup but it is only temporary and only kills what it touches. The back of my yard is not level enough to mow and it is too tough for the weed eater. The regrowth rate is really fast so it is a constant threat. I live in the South and it is not unusual to drive for miles where Kudzoo has overgrown every tree and abandoned building as far as you can see. Do you know of anything that will kill this stuff?
Helene,
Persistance will beat it out. Choose the option that you’d like to use and have at it. But you can’t give up. If you rid the area of active plants then you have to find a way to either cover the soil or continue tilling to keep the seeds from taking over again.
Family in NC used goats to keep it down
Glyphosate causes birth defects in humans and animals, and prevents mineral uptake in plants. It contaminates the soil, rather than breaking down as they claim. I have a zero tolerance policy toward it.
A study on damage: http://www.naturalnews.com/040482_glyphosate_monsanto_detoxification.html
Even though you are not using it on edible plants, you are exposing yourself and damaging soil microclimes.
Mariel,
Interesting link, lots and lots of ads on that page, but I don’t know who to believe. I just don’t. Which natural products are safe? Tobacco is a natural product as is Cannabis. Are they safe? I don’t know. Tobacco for sure doesn’t seem to be safe.
Tom – you need to build lots of soil organic carbon. Yes, you can do it by importing loads of mulch or compost, but you can also make progress by planting cover crops that then break down in the soil. I’ve not personally dealt with sandy soil, but you could try planting an area with daikon radish. It grows long underground roots which you leave to break down in the soil.
In warmer climates vetiver grass can amazing for stabilising sandy soils. Planted as a tight hedge across a slope it prevents rain water washing what top soil you have down hill. The roots can grow very deep – 5m or more in the right conditions – and make loads of leafy mulch which you can spread on other beds in your garden. Uphill of a vetiver hedge soil and organic matter collects making a natural flat terrace, ideal for planting. The roots being so deep means it is very drought resistant.
Sandy soils can suffer from nutrient washing down into the deeper subsoil, out of reach of most plants roots. Deep rooted plants like comfrey can help return these nutrients to the active root zone. The leaves concentrate minerals and can be cut multiple times per year. They have lots of uses, but the easiest is to simply lay them on top of the soil around the plants that need it.
Permaculture deals a lot with building soil fertility – you could read up on it or try some of the permaculture forums.
Mike cox
WOW Mike you have lost a LOT of weight! You look so much younger! Good video, great article, thanks. People just don’t realize how long weed seeds survive in the soil. We have a huge problem with Broom taking over the Santa Cruz Mountains and crowding out the native vegetation. We go in with a team, pull out the brush, them go back next year and pull the tiny seedlings before they bloom.
some of the re-infestation is probably Robin poop, but those shiny little black seeds are survivors!!
Just curious- have you used corn gluten as a nitrogen rich fertilizer? At 10% nitrogen it really greens up the lawn. I have been told that it has the side benefit of providing a pre-emergence herbicidal effect.
Any thoughts? (assuming cost is not a factor)
Jerry,
I’ve not tested it myself but need to look into it again. What deterred me was the amount per application and the cost. From what I read you really need a lot for it to act as a pre emergent. Here’s the thing, I study the people who have gone before me and work beside me in this industry. I pay close attention to what they do because they test everything. And I can assure you, every single one of them would love to be an organic grower, but they can’t until products are available that will do the job for the same cost. At the end of the day, we all have to be competitive if we are to remain in business.
Wow – I’ve heard that corn gluten makes a pretty good herbicide or soil sterilant, but did NOT know it was 10% nitrogen and did wonders for lawns!
My dogs eat Purina Dog Chow, which is corn-based. I’ve been gathering their droppings and pitching them into the neighboring cornfield. I keep the poo cleaned out of the dogs’ yard because it tends to thin and kill the grass – so much for using it as lawn-fertilizer! This year something freaky happened – the corn right there is WAY taller and greener than what’s nearby! It’s Roundup-Ready corn anyway, and has been sprayed at least twice with Roundup, so I can’t say that my doggy-do ‘treatments’ have killed the weeds amongst the corn, but that field-corn sure looks stout!
Mike, sorry you aren’t super human to please everyone all the time. I appreciate what you teach me and hope to make some money next year if my health allows. This year I’m rooting Butterfly bush ect. Keep up the good work! We need you:)
Thank you Clara!
Mike: I’ve tried to get you twice before and never got an answer. I’m gonna try one more time. My problem is SAND. My entire front and back yard is sand. What can I grow in sand? Anything?? Ant please don’t tell me to get top soil and spread it around. It would take about 200 tons of top soil to do me any good. I await your answer…Thanks Mike.
Well, Tom, potatoes like to grow in sand. I have just the opposite problem, sticky clay type soil that dries into adobe bricks! We have a local garbage company that composts yard clippings and offers them free to Sunnyvale residents. I have incorporated truckloads of compost into my beds, and it makes a difference. I also compost my kitchen waste with some horse manure my daughter brings me. You have to cover it with a thin layer of soil so the neighbors don’t complain, but it works. Try amending a part of the yard that you use for veges, then tackle another area. It is slow going, but worth it.
Tom,
I also have sand (Florida). The tree service that trims for the power company will deliver all the mulch you could want. Free
I had sand In CO…I went to the local coffee houses and got free coffee grounds. I went to the free mulch offered by the city. I asked everyone I knew that gathered and bagged fall leaves. Put them through a shredder and then I used lawn bag clippings from neighbors that were organic and not coating their lawns with chemical garbage. I just kept amending my soil and planted strawberries which spread and thrive in sand.. I had aquariums and a pond, and I watered with the changeout and in NO time I had pretty decent soil. I did straw bale gardening, at the end of the growing season it was FULL of earthworms and I would spread that just before the snow. I worked a section at a time and got results fast.
Great advice Savannah, thanks for sharing it.
Mike–
You don’t mention the organic version of the pre-emergent. We use a pre-emergent that basically consists of corn gluten. It was recommended by a nursery here in St. Louis that tries to use and carry all organic materials. The corn gluten works fabulously. I don’t mind pulling weeds… but last year, somehow, I got an infestation of chickweed that I could never get in front of. It just moved from one bed to another (I think it actually began in my neighbor’s grass.) I followed the directions carefully, and waited until my baby plants were well established before using. I also did not use it in the beds that re-seed my impatiens and columbine.
Thanks!
Betty,
You’re right, I should have mentioned Corn Gluten but I just forgot. I’d like to test some, just to see how well it works.
Guilty as charged. I too use weed control with chemical sprays. Your advice about over use is right on. Thanks for all of your background and informative guidance.
Best to you, Mike
Brett
When you, or anyone, can tell me how to get rid of smilax with out digging up the whole lawn, I will be eternally grateful!
Ann,
I’m not familiar with this weed but part of a weed free lawn is a super healthy and happy lawn. If remove this weed re-seed and nurture that area so the lawn is nice and thick.
Mike,
Thanks for the advice about weed control. I will try the newspaper and cardboard.
The Bitterroot Valley in Montana has the worst weeds that you van imagine (ie: creeping charley, dandelions, Russian knapweed, Canadian thistles, milkweed, and many more).
In fact, we entered our knapweed at the county fair and placed 4 out of 12 in the tallest weed division. Three of the top four were from the same area where I live.
I have tried chemicals and everything that you mentioned, except the newspaper, and have had only temporary luck. The most effective method that I have found so far is mowing and weed eating often to stop the reproductive cycle of the weeds.
Folks read ALL what Mike Said!! Don’t over Apply – that should NOT be that hard to Understand. Then Only a Tiny amount will get in the soil. A No Brainier.
Don is so right. We all tend to think more is better with just about everything we do until we learn differently.
Mike–you’ve lost weight!!!!!
Can’t agree more about the fabric and pretty much the whole article. I love using cardboard, newspaper, & mulch! As far as chemicals go, I avoid as much as I can. Most weed seeds blow in on the wind, birds drop a few, and then there’s the lawn service guy who shoots them straight into the plant bed I’m trying to keep lookin’ good:/ I have had some good results with vinegar and Epsom salt mix. It seems to burn off the outer skin layer of the leaves and the weeds die–just like blocking the sun. For some of the really tough stuff though, there is no choice but to use chemicals–especially on vines.
Peace out!!!!
To Lee– Pre-emergents DO NOT LEECH into the soil. They STAY in the top 1-2 inches, no deeper.
Preen is NOT the best pre-emergent as it has limited control in weed types, plus it only lasts a short time before needing to be re-applied. Surflan and Treflan 5G are much better but still only are truly effective for two months or so. The best Pre-emergence on the market is Granular Snap Shot, about $75 for 50 pounds. It WILL control for at least 6 months. Failure to reapply every 5 months or so, can result in weed growth. I time it so that the two months it is not applied, falls in mid-Winter. I would not use ANY chemical in a food crop area. That has to be kept clean by hard work and Mike’s tips. It is important that the snap shot is “fresh” by early March.
Thanks for the info, very informative.
thanks for all the info, both pro and con
Mike, When I was farming , we used to use a surfactant to help with weed control. Now we all have this in the kitchen. “Dish soap”. Just put a little in the weed sprayer with the 2 4 D or what ever is sold over the counter. Oh yes, wnen you spray do it before noon, or the next morning after a rain. Just make sure you have four hrs. if it will rain again the same day.
Mike..Enjoy All of your Articles ! Yes, the ‘Herbicide Use’ has its believers and non-believers alike ! I agree with your statements..sometimes it is our only option ! Here in Canada, back in 2010 the Govt. banned the use of 2-4D so our only option for the so called ‘Weed and Feed’ products, is ‘HEDTA (FeHEDTA) (Chelated Iron)’. ‘Garbage’ ! Don’t Work ! I am all in favour of the ‘enviromental issues’ like the next guy..but sometimes you ‘gotta do what you gotta do’ !
Probably a dumb question, but what about Weed and Feed? I’m fixing to go looking for something to put on the grass in the fall, to try and get it healthier for next year, try and get rid of dandelions and crab grass, and have been considering trying a weed and feed…how effective are they?
Also, so if I want to eliminate and control weeds in already established beds, I probably want to just pull, and not use any weed killers, not even post-emergents, correct? I’ve been thinking about just laying down vegetation killers and starting from scratch with the beds we have, but what we have that isn’t weed choked, we worked hard to establish, and I don’t WANT to kill them. 🙁
One last thing: if I send you pictures of a couple plants, would you help me identify them, please? Years ago, I planted a plant the guy I got it from called “Elephant Ear,” in a certain area. Now, there’s a plant growing in a different area which resembles the picture of the plant I planted, but it’s about 4 feet away from where I planted it. It was a bulbous plant, so I’m thinking, if that’s what it was, the squirrels probably dug it up and took it over there. They’ve been known to do it before. :/
Thank you in advance, Mr. McGroarty. 🙂
Kat,
Weed and Feed products on the lawn work as they claim to. If you have a lot of weeds in your lawn, reseed this fall once the weeds are gone. A nice thick lawn does a good job of keeping weeds at bay. Don’t spray your entire landscape. Hand pull the weeds, lay down newspaper or cardboard and a thick layer of mulch over that. Then stay on top of it. As soon as a weed pops up, get it out and you will stay ahead of the weeds.
CHEMICALS? On weeds???!! Those chemicals leach into the ground and into the water supply. YOU DON’T NEED CHEMICALS. Although the chemical companies love to hear YOU push their products, YOU’RE wrong and so are they. A lot of the so called “weeds” you are poisoning/killing, are also killing beneficials and other very important critters of the environment and by you doing that you are interrupting the natural balance of so many other very important things that you don’t see below your nose, under your feet. Are you not aware of MONSANTO and what is going on now with the SUPER WEEDS they have created? We are small farmers and we do not use pesticides. We had pull weeds and hand pick bugs. We use ONLY sprays that are OMRI approved because I respect my body, your body and my environment. Please recant your “Weed Control”, do your research and be more friendly to the environment and those you love around you.
Thanks!
Lee in KY
Lee,
I appreciate your input and respect your opinion. However, because I have people on my list from all walks of life I have to write and create content for all of them. This is a gardening blog, not a political forum where my goal is to change peoples thinking. I do appreciate your OMRI reference, I’m sure folks will find it handy. The very minute that I can figure out how to run my nursery 100% organically I can assure you I’m on board. But we grow plants in containers. They cannot be cultivated and weeds will destroy the plants. Trust me, I’m tuned in, just looking for the answers.
Great response Mike … A++
I have a ton of questions about where to buy … containers / supplies / plants … I’ll sign up one day!
David,
I hope to have you on board soon.
Hi Mike,
I am in the middle of a huge project. The previous owners of my house put in really nice landscaping and put all stone mulch. In my front the center focal point of the landscape is a non fruiting mulberry tree which is beautiful. The problem is that the previous owner used all stone (and a lot of it) which we are about half way through removing (donating to someone who can use it). The shrubs that were put in are overgrown and I am hard pruning them, some of which are being removed because they are mostly dead. The previous owner put apparently anything he could find down as a weed barrier. We have pulled out plastic different kinds, the black weed cloth and if you can believe it carpet runner (??). Well there was so much stone and this weed barrier that some of the shrubs and the mulberry tree’s roots are at the surface. What do you suggest I do with the roots? I have to turn the soil over because it is so packed and was so covered there is no air and I believe the roots were coming to the surface trying to get water.
When we finish turning the soil we plan on mixing in peat and top soil and fertilizing and watering. I can take pictures if you like and you can see the bottom of the tree and the roots (it isn’t the main tree root but a runner). What do you suggest I do with the roots? Should I bury them, can I cut them? I just don’t want to kill the tree.
Lee, I can understand your reluctance to chemical herbicides, but your fanatical attitude towards them is extreme, considering that it is the general public that drives companies like Monsanto to go to the lengths that they do. Stop blaming the companies and start promoting better actions of their customers.
that aside, there is always the simple vinegar herbicide that does the trick, almost as good as roundup(maybe even better) that should be promoted. Bashing companies and using inflammatory comments will NOT make you look respectable or reliable.
oh. vinegar herbicide? gallon of vinegar, 2 drops dawn dish soap, about 1 ounce of food grade oil(mineral, vegatable). spray as your would round up, maybe a little heavier. if you are crafty, you can make all the ingredients yourself and call it 100% organic.
Tater,
You are absolutely right. When I walk down the chemical isle in any garden shop I quickly realize that I am only hearing from one side of the congregation here on my blog because those retailers wouldn’t stock products that nobody wants. Therefore, I should share what I know. And when I know of a better, more dependable way, I’ll share that as well. I learn new things all the time.
Mike said: “When I walk down the chemical isle in any garden shop I quickly realize that I am only hearing from one side of the congregation here on my blog because those retailers wouldn’t stock products that nobody wants.”
That’s absolutely the truth. There are other products out there that are nearly impossible to find, unless you order directly from their website. A certain “safer” than conventional chemically produced insecticidal soap is a prime example. It works great, is approved for organic gardens, and can be used on all plants. The problem is, none of the “box stores” carry it. Consumers have to start demanding what they want, and then perhaps the retailers will stock it.
Tater was also on to something – stop bashing companies like Monsanto, and start promoting better consumer behavior. I have no love for that particular company’s practices. Search and read about them for yourself. There may be alternatives that will work for you. When consumers start changing habits, companies start taking notice.
Well said Vicki. The stores stock what sells, not what they think you should use. When people have a problem they want a quick fix and want to buy it off the shelf. Anybody that read my article about weeds can acknowledge that I covered all kinds of ways of keeping weeds at bay before I mentioned chemicals.
Lee,
And then you yourself a weed salad…
Ok…. so the vining weeds that have overtaken our yard can be stopped in its tracks with vinegar, dishsoap and oil? I have attempted to be as organic as possible with our yard and garden. However between the weeds and the squash bugs and watching everything slowly die, I’m frustrated. I will try the vinegar concept, its at least worth a try. Anyone have any suggestions on how to handle the bug problem? I live in a residential area using our vacant lot for the garden, I would love to have a couple guineas but it would probably be out of the question. what would be suggested?
Neem oil for bugs and just about anything else. I’m a landscaper and eschew all synthetics. I’ve taken out leaf miner from boxwood, mites on evergreens, aphids on roses, etc. with Neem. You’ll find it is even being manufactured by Bonide, a big name in chemicals..
1 tsp. dish soap to 1 gallon white vinegar on a warm sunny day, weed dead. That’s how we keep all patios and walkways weed free and have for years.
Thanks for sharing you expertise, great info!
I love NEEM oil. I have purchased it online and at BiMart. The house we bought was overrun with bugs and the minute I planted a few fruit trees and my tomato plants and other veggies, the bugs started eating everything and a nasty fungal infection also took over, killing my leaves. I tried the soap and oil solution, which only partially was successful. I also used a copper solution, but that is a bit harsher than I liked, and the dark color was obnoxious. So I bought the NEEM and love that it is so mild I actually have hair conditioner that contains it and it can be used up to the day of harvest. I sprayed quite heavily and the problem stopped. This is organic, though, so it only lasts a week or so and has to be reapplied. But I got the concentrated kind, so I mix it with water, and it goes a long way. Now that the bugs are mostly gone (it has taken about 2 months, I don’t have to apply so often). It has been a learning process, though, and many hours on You Tube taught me that plants like nasturtium, planted near the trees, etc., will keep the fungus down, as will marigolds. The birds must not like the taste of the NEEM, either, because I am not finding my strawberries and other berries being eaten much.
Lee,
A farmers field does NOT have to look pretty. Control of weeds means to stop their growth cycle BEFORE seeding, or before vegetative reproduction occurs, and before the crop is impacted. I am with you on the use of chemicals. Weed eaters can decapitate plants before they seed. On ornamental gardens, appearance matters, and I use cardboard under wood chips to good advantage. With serious integrated pest management we often find that physical modification of the plants and their environment will do the full job, and chemical solutions alone are often almost useless. i.e. (spraying roses that have not been pruned back and opened up inside will do little to prevent bacterial/fungal problems.) Reaching for the chemical FIRST leads to many bad habits, while using physical controls encourages good horticultural practices and mostly eliminates the need for chemicals. This is the heart of integrated pest management.
Hello Mike,
I have wanted to use preemergent herbicides but I have been told they are not exclusive in the seeds they prevent from germinating. I have alot of flowers that I depend on reseeding and most people do not start root veggies in pots…or things like beans and corn. There are alot of my friends who are proud owners of things like rose of sharon that have volunteered in my flower bed from seed…or the dinner plate hibiscus…or four-o-clocks. It seems it would only be good for landscaped beds.
Nina,
You are absolutely right. #1, always read the label. #2. Never use a pre-emergent where you want seeds to grow. Thank you for calling me out on that.