Monday, December 8, 2014

Keep Your Garden Healthy By Discovering What To Use To Kill Weeds

By Claudine Hodges


The lush green lawns and colorful flower and vegetable gardens of summertime are to the dismay of most gardeners marred by the persistent presence of annoying weeds. It's a good idea for anyone with a greenthumb to find out what to use to kill weeds, preferably in a way that is safe and natural so they can enjoy a healthy garden that is not spoiled or threatened by these troublesome, unwanted plants.

Pulling weeds is still one of the best ways to eliminate them, and knowing the proper technique is necessary. When the soil is damp, pull each weed from its roots by digging down so the bottom of its root system can be removed. Afterwards they can be composted for a natural garden fertilizer.

It's also possible to put an end to these pesky invaders by suffocating them, cutting off their access to sunlight. Cut some old newspapers into strips and place them over areas of weed growth, then cover this up with some garden mulch, it will be necessary to use several layers of newspapers because some weeds can poke through.

Many store-bought herbicides contain some harmful chemicals which may hurt people or animals, instead one can prepare a homemade weed-killer that is made only of normal, household ingredients and is not hazardous. Put in a spray bottle two cups of white vinegar, one-half cup of salt, and a few drops of dish detergent and mix thoroughly. Spray directly on weeds, but avoid contact with vegetable as it may damage them.

Areas such as between paving stones in the garden can be kept free of unwanted weed growth by the use of salt. Rock salt used in winter to prevent ice from forming is ideal for this purpose, but even household table salt works fine. Just sprinkle it along these cracks, taking care not to touch the lawn or garden, as it can kill them as well.

The heat of fire is a powerful natural weed-killer. This does not mean starting an actual fire, but rather simply passing a hot flame over the weedy areas, the heat effectively dries up the moisture within them, which causes them to shrivel up and die. Propane-powered weed scorchers designed for this purpose or regular, general-use blowtorches can both suffice for this purpose.

The design of an ornamental flower bed can be planned in such a way that is not weed-friendly. Some species of ground covering plants naturally keep them from sprouting up and prevent them from getting sufficient water, nutrients, and sunlight. Some examples are Walker's low catmint, Majestic lilyturf, and creeping thyme to name a few.

A process known as "solarizing" has also been proven to effectively reduce weed growth in both the current and upcoming planting seasons. This should be done during the summer to prepare the beds for fall planting activities. First rake and till the soil, eliminating any debris and dig an 8-inch deep trench around the bed's outer edges, then lay a thin, clear sheet of plastic over it, placing the edges in the trench. Fill in trenches with soil to hold the plastic in place. This should remain for 4-6 weeks after which it can be removed, fertilized and used for planting.




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