How to Get Rid of Weeds Without Pesticides or Chemicals & Without Harming Toads

Prevention is the key to weed control.

Defining weeds may be difficult, as one man's weeds may be another man's flowers -- but identifying weeds in your garden is not. These pesky plants seem to appear overnight and compete with your flowers and vegetables for moisture and nutrients. Without adequate weed control, they can soon overtake your garden, introducing disease and crowding out your crops. Although herbicides are an option, they may harm wildlife. Many prefer natural methods of weed control.

Things You'll Need

• Mulch
• Black plastic
• Newspapers
• Hoe
• Cultivator

Instructions

1. Remove any existing weeds in the garden by hand pulling or cutting them at the ground level with the blade of the hoe. This prepares your garden bed for adding weed barriers, such as organic or inorganic mulch.

2. Spread a 3- to 4-inch layer of organic mulch, such as grass clippings, leaves or straw, under vegetable crops. This creates an effective weed barrier that can be tilled into the soil in the fall once the crops are harvested. Organic mulch works well for plants that prefer cool soil.

3. Place black plastic mulch under heat-loving plants such as tomatoes and peppers. Plastic mulch serves to keep the soil moist and warm, while creating a weed barrier. Red plastic can be used under tomatoes and may improve the yield of tomatoes.

4. Mulch around ornamental shrubs and flowers with bark mulch or crushed stone. The type of mulch you choose depends on the appearance you desire. Visit a hardware store or garden center to peruse the many varieties of inorganic mulch available.

5. Line spaces between rows with recycled newspapers or landscape fabric to prevent weeds from growing between the rows. These can be used with or without mulch as they provide a weed barrier on their own. If you prefer a more attractive look, cover newspapers or landscape fabric with the mulch of your choice.

6. Hand pick small weeds that work their way through the mulch. Pull the weeds from the roots and discard them away from the garden.

7. Maintain weed control physically if you prefer not to use mulch in your garden. Cut weeds at the soil level with a sharp hoe or use a hand cultivator to turn the soil and remove weeds. This method works well as long as it is done regularly, but it requires considerable physical effort.

Tips & Warnings

• Allow 36 inches between rows in vegetable gardens and cultivate the soil regularly to keep weeds under control.

• Do not use sawdust or wood chips from treated wood as this may contaminate your soil.

References

• Purdue University Extension; Weed Control for the Garden and Landscape; B. Rosie Lerner, et al.; February 2003
• North Carolina State University Extension; Weed Control in the Vegetable Garden; David W. Monks, et al.; April 1993

Resources

• Utah State University Extension: Weed Control