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Natural Weed Control: |
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Natural Weed Control by Anita Koppens Do you have an issue with weeds but can't support the idea of spraying poisonous chemicals all over your garden? Fortunately, there are eco-friendly ways to battle weeds and prevent the problem plants from taking over your garden. The simplest way to avoid having weeds in your garden is simply not to let them develop in the first place. If you're starting your landscaping from scratch, consider putting down weed cloth to smother unwanted growth. (Note: there are plastic versions of this offered, but they are less kind to the environment.) You can cut holes in your weed cloth to let your plants through and you can cover the surface of it with a layer of soil too shallow to let weeds take root. Using this method, you may still get weeds popping up around the roots of your plants, but there'll be far fewer of them and regular checks will make it easy for you to pull them all out of your soil. Just as weed cloth can suffocate weeds, a thick, well-maintained lawn can also keep them out of your plants. You may think you're reducing the amount of maintenance you need by switching to paving stones or gravel, but weeds can be a big problem in both those cases. A sufficiently mowed and irrigated lawn will largely take care of itself. There are many easy methods to kill or pluck out weeds. You should regularly mow to stop weeds such as dandelions from maturing into seeds. Pouring hot water over plants for three to four days will also control certain types of weeds. Another method is to spray a mix of 20 parts water to vinegar on weeds. Dandelions, velvetleaf, thistle and smooth pigweed are highly vulnerable to this environmentally friendly cocktail. In order to control weeds from emerging in an expansive area such as your lawn, try spreading corn gluten meal, which you can find at your nursery. This step is most effective during the growing season. Using a garden flamer is another possible defense against pesky weeds. Torching weeds should be done cautiously, however, as to not impact surrounding plants. One of the most excellent ways to prevent weeds from growing is laying down sheet mulch. Sheet mulch can be made of newspaper, cardboard, banana peels and other natural materials. Simply cover the ground around the plants you want to grow. Be sure to leave room for air circulation and the mulch will act as a natural barrier against photosynthesis from going on in the soil. Spread weed seed-free compost, consisting of such as seaweed, conditioned compost, leaves, wood chips or branches, over the weed barrier. If you tell people they can suppress unwanted weeds and cultivate their garden at the same time, most of them will assume you're selling something! But the secret is in corn gluten meal, which is cheap and can be bought from any garden center or home improvement store. Activates by water (make sure you irrigate your yard after scattering it), it blocks the emergence of new plants but won't damage those that already have good roots. It also releases nitrogen into the soil, acting as fertilizer for your established plants. Why isn't everybody using this? Because it's a non brand-name product and it doesn't get advertised, but it is fantastic for your garden. Looking after your yard the green way takes a little more patience than simply spraying on weed killer, but it'll keep all your plants in better shape and it'll let you enjoy your garden without polluting the environment at large. You'll also have the good feeling of knowing that the lovely landscaping you've cultivated hasn't involved any poisonous short-cuts but is truly all your own work. Find your next home in Arizona: San Tan Heights Scenic Homes for Sale and San Tan Ranch Rental Homes. Article Source: http://www.upublish.info |