The common garden weed can be a real thorn in the side of any gardener – these pesky plants not only sprout up almost anywhere in your garden but are notoriously difficult to remove once they do. In this blog we will discuss the different methods you can use to effectively remove perennial weeds from your garden for good!
Why are weeds bad?
The first thing that comes to mind when most people see a garden overrun with weeds is that your garden is unloved, unkempt & unmaintained. The term ‘weed’ refers to any invasive plant that may inhabit gardens – the most common are dandelions, buttercups, etc.
Aside from the obvious aesthetic reason that you would want to remove weeds from your garden – they can also harm the other plant life by competing for natural resources along with the plants you want to see thrive & blossom – particularly when it comes to your garden lawn.
How to remove weeds from your lawn:
By Hand:
By far the most simple and straightforward method is to just grab the weed by the base of the stem – and with a trowel dig up the roots and remove it by hand. When removing weeds by hand it is crucial to remove all-of the root along with the stem otherwise the root will continue just to grow back. It is easy to miss some of the root when removing weeds by hand so take your time and double check that none of the roots remain.
Once completed, you may have a small crater in your lawn that can be reseeded or patched up with more turf.
Chemical Weed Killer:
For larger gardens afflicted with weeds, it can be easy to reach for the chemical weed killer that has been lurking in the shed – However, chemical weed killers wont just kill the weed –but anything else it comes into contact with. This is why we recommend using this method on weeds that may be sprouting through concrete rather than any embedded in your lawn or amongst your other garden plants you want to keep alive.
Organic Weed Killers:
If you are more averse of using chemical weed killers, have no fear! There are plenty of organic methods that can work just as well. Some of our favourite organic weed killing solutions include:
- Salt:
It’s well known that salting the earth can have devastating effects on plants – however when mixed with water, you can create an all-natural weed killer. Best to take caution with this approach and apply gradually over time as applying too much salt can have devastating effects on your soil. - Boiling water:
Applying boiling water to perennial weeds not only kills them but can also destroy any seeds planted amongst your soil so take caution when using this method. Simply boil a kettle and slowly apply to the base of the stem, ensuring not to burn yourself or splash any plants you do not want to destroy.