5 Ways To Minimize Your Weed Growth
1. Don’t wake up the seeds
There are always weed seeds that lie dormant in the soil. The seeds are waiting for the sunshine to start to germinate or be awoken from a long slumber. To avoid awakening the weed seeds, don’t disturb the soil. Disturbing the soil includes tilling and cultivating. But that seems somewhat impossible when trying to plant new flowers, plants or grass. When planting flowers or plants, sow the seeds above the ground in a small mound of topsoil or compost.
2. Fight the weeds before they sprout
An effective way to prevent weeds is by using a pre-emergent herbicide that will stop weed seeds from ever germinating but won’t kill existing plants and grasses.
The tricky part is determining when to apply a pre-emergent because it must be applied before the weed seeds have time to germinate underground. The best way to know when to apply a pre-emergent is to make note of the date when you see the first weeds in the yard or garden. Then, mark your calendar 3 weeks before that date for next spring and apply the pre-emergent then.
You can also start from scratch by using a non-selective herbicide. This will kill whatever it sprays. It is also recommended to use organic options to prevent harmful synthetic build up in the soil. A great option is Mirimichi Green Weed Control. It is organic, OMRI listed and will show results in 24 hours.
3. Promote healthy plants & grass
If there is healthy grass, weeds will have less room to grow in the lawn. To promote a healthy lawn, reseed bald patches and fertilize if a soil suffers from nutrient deficiencies. By maintaining a healthy lawn, fewer weeds will arise. Nutri-Turf has the ideal balance of nutrients for all grass types and will keep the lawn lush.
4. Keep your plants close
Planting closely together will provide more shade to the soil below, which will prevent weed seeds from getting sunlight and allow less room for weeds to grow. You can usually reduce the recommended planting space on the packaging by about 25 percent. However, most spacing recommendations are based on the prediction that adjoining plants will not touch at their mature size, so follow the guidelines if you are planting plants that are prone to foliar diseases.
5. Create an organic barrier
Spreading an organic barrier around plants will submerge weed seeds and prevent light from starting germination all while keeping your plants cool. Organic barriers are best such as mulches. Mulches can host crickets and carabid beetles, which will feed on weed seeds. To create the organic barrier, spread mulch 2 to 4 inches deep around your plant bed.