How to Control Weeds Organically

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Rate: (7 Ratings)

Weeds will choke the life out of your garden. But if you're at all concerned about the environment, you worry about chemical herbicides. Use these organic methods to combat plant pests.

Flag Article

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

WOW!
Hoes
Mulch
Weed Barrier Mat
Weed Knife

Step1

Pull weeds by hand using a hoe or a weed knife. This is the most efficient way to rid your garden of weeds without harming the environment. If you toss the weeds into your compost pile, give yourself an additional 10 points.

Step2

Lay down a thick layer of mulch. Mulch shades the surface of the soil, preventing weed seeds from germinating.

Step3

Use a weed barrier mat prior to planting. There are several versions of this wonderful invention, but all act as a physical barrier that prevents weeds from emerging from the soil.

Step4

Use WOW! from Gardens Alive to prevent weeds from growing in your lawn. WOW! is an organic pre-emergent herbicide that inhibits the growth of feeder roots. If used in an established lawn over several years, crabgrass growth is controlled by 91 percent.

Tips & Warnings

Weed barrier mats are dark colored so you'll be able to plant earlier in the season. Dark colors absorb heat, which warms the chilly spring soil.
Keep weeds under control. They are much easier to deal with when there are only a few of them in your garden.
It is easiest to control young weeds that haven't gone to seed.
When hand pulling weeds, try to get all of the roots. Also, weeds pull easier from soil that is damp.

Who Can Help:

Comments

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 2/16/2006 I use canning-strength vinegar in a spray bottle directly on the weeds that come up in concrete cracks, between stones, etc. Spray all over the leaves on a hot day and watch them wilt! The vinegar (acetic acid) dissolves the protective covering on the leaves and dries them out. Some types need a few applications. Make sure to protect wanted plants from over spray.

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 11/22/2005 I hate using chemicals. This year I put some gravel in parts of my garden. I put the plastic bags that the gravel came in down under the gravel areas. It works great! I have found several tools specifically for weeding. The Garden Weed Queen is my favorite.