The Best Thing to Use to Keep Weeds From Coming Up

Say goodbye to hand pulling weeds.

Whether you are an avid gardener or a novice just starting out, weeds are a universal problem in almost any outdoor space. If hours of pulling and preening doesn't sound like the perfect way to spend your sunny summer afternoons, try controlling the weeds before they start. Create a physical barrier that keeps unwanted plants from coming up in your bountiful garden or landscaping.

Trees and Bushes

If you are looking for the best thing to keep weeds from coming up around your trees and bushes, a fabric mulch may be the key to successful prevention. A polypropylene geotextile fabric is the number one option for keeping newly planted trees and shrubbery weed-free. These fabrics restrict the growth of weeds by keeping essential sunlight out. Although these types of fabrics provide a full cover, their mesh-like textures do allow water to move through the barrier into the soil below.

Gardens

There are several reasons to create a weed-free garden. These include keeping the weeds down to make room for growing plants as well as the overall look of your landscaping. Although weed barrier fabrics are an easy option to stop unwanted growth, these plastic or burlap-like sheeting materials often look messy in a garden. Instead, opt for a natural or synthetic recycled rubber mulch. Using mulch also provides your garden with soil temperature control and, in the case of organic or natural mulches, added nutrients.

Walkways and Yards

Outdoor spaces such as walkways and non-garden yard areas provide amble room for weeds to grow. Avoid the nuisance that these unwanted plants create by layering stones or gravel as a natural-looking barrier. Covering spaces in-between stone walkways or areas bordering sidewalks with gravel keeps the sunlight out and the weeds from coming up. Gravel or stone options are a no-fuss way to keep your yard looking pristine and even add to the overall look of your landscaping.

Reused Option

Keep weeds down and reduce the amount of paper waste that you generate by reusing newspaper as a weed barrier. This effective way to keep weeds from coming up in your garden works best when it is used with a mulch layer on top. Choose a black-and-white page, or pages, of paper made from a soy-based or non-meta ink. According to the Penn State Cooperative extension, most modern newspapers use soy ink products. Don't worry about digging up old barrier papers. These products should degrade on their own in time.

References

• North Dakota State University: Weed Control in Tree Plantings
• Penn State Cooperative Extension: Can I Use Newspaper As A Weed Barrier In My Vegetable Garden?
• Colorado State University Extension: Mulches for Home Grounds

Resources

• Ohio State University: Controlling Weeds in Nursery and Landscape Plantings