Weeding the easy way

Weeds are often described as plants in the wrong place. If you want to cut down weeding, put a weed barrier down in winter or very early spring. I find a porous woven fabric sheet and 2-4" layer of bark does the trick.

Weeds are either:

(1) Annual weeds (which last a year)

(2) Ephemeral weeds (which last less than a year)

(3) Perennial weeds (which come back year after year)

The best ways to get rid of categories (1) and (2) are hand picking, hoeing (on a hot dry day), or burning them with a flame. This is best done when the seedlings appear in spring and summer so the weeds do not set seed.

Perennial weeds take a bit more work because many perennial weeds will come back after hand picking, hoeing or burning unless you remove/ damage the entire root system. Your options include:

(1) Remove all soil and vegetation to a depth of two to three feet and replace with some new screened soil in winter - expensive but effective

(2) Apply a glyphosate systemic fetiliser when the weeds are in full growth summer - effective but needs to be applied carefully so as not to damage other plants

(3) Be vigilant and carefully remove the entire vegetative growth and root system of each weed - effective but time-consuming

Some weeds require professional attention, such as Japenese Knot Weed.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.