Weeds can make your freshly-bloomed flowers patch and neatly tended yard look very unattractive. When growing season comes, not only will your garden plants thrive, but so will the weeds. In the early days of this season, you will get significant joy from dealing with these intruders. However, as time drags on, it will become more of a difficult chore that you never seem to have time for. How can you counter the weeds to ensure your yard is looking healthy and appealing?
Apart from aesthetic concerns, weeds cause many adverse effects. For example, they can bring about plant damage because they spread diseases and compete with your plants for water and nutrients in the soil. Luckily, there are many scientific, natural, and environmentally friendly ways to deal with them. Nevertheless, it is important to note that different weeds have unpredictable growth cycles and patterns. Adequate knowledge of diverse control methods will give you the yard of your dreams. These 5 tips will help you do just that:
- Know Your Equipment
Many different types of gardening equipment have entered the market. Now, there are various mechanical, electronic, and chemical tools used to eradicate weeds. For instance, an electric weed eater uses energy from a standard wall socket to trim weeds.
Knowing which tool to use in specific situations is key to ensuring you have a healthy yard. It makes your work easier and also prevents you from damaging any garden plants.
- Space Out Your Plants
It’s important to ensure that you achieve the right balance of space between your plants. Planting them too close together will not only limit the weeds’ access to sunlight but will also make spreading of diseases and pests easier. On the other hand, planting them too far apart will create pockets of wet, nutrient-rich soil where the weeds will thrive and enjoy the direct sunlight. Figuring out the right balance will help you control weeds.
- Be Selective About Where You Dig
There are weed seeds in every inch of your garden. However, only those that are near the top layer get a chance to grow. This means that when you dig your entire yard, you are giving these dormant seeds the opportunity to grow. Therefore, be very selective about where you choose to dig, as well as the depth. After digging, aid the disturbed patch by mulching or adding more plants.
- Yard Maintenance
There are several techniques you can use mulch to suppress the growth of weeds in your yard. For example, you can use mulch because it denies weeds the sunlight they require to grow. Bark mulch and chippings are also aesthetically appealing. Mulch also carries some insects that act as natural weed controllers.
Another great maintenance technique is to keep your yard neat and trimmed. This is because keeping grass at a healthy and ideal height also means you will consistently cut the weeds. This makes them use up more energy to grow. Therefore, they will become stunted and finally lose their ability to grow and spread.
- Choose the Right Time to Weed
It is highly likely that when your plants start to grow, it will be during the rainy season. This is usually the best time to start weeding because the soil is wet and soft. Therefore, you will be able to pluck out these weeds, together with their roots. Getting rid of the roots will make it harder for them to grow again. During the dry season, make use of tools such as gardening hoes to get the job done.
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