The following article is a guest post provided by Aparna Sunil from LocalLawn, an Orlando Lawn Services Company. We hope this article helps our property owners and tenants with their lawn care.
If there is something called easy weeding tips, then this is it. Tips and tricks for effective weed control
The adage that a weed is merely a plant in the wrong place, although true, is often very difficult to accept. Ask any gardener and they’ll tell you that the one thing that baffles and daunts them is the sight of weeds on their lawn. Let’s face it; weeds are a nuisance in every garden. There are unwanted plants that lurk around uninvited and contend with your carefully-nurtured grass for water and food supply.
I mean, there are times when I feel they’re nothing short of evil predators. Ferociously opportunistic, the nature of all weeds is to do whatever it takes to feed and thrive- even if it comes at the cost of choking and overpowering less robust plants to death.
As much as I used to despise the wrecked wildflower at one time, over the years, I’ve learned to accept them more consistently (honestly, I don’t think I had a choice). You see, surprising as this might sound, I’ve realized that they have a few advantages (I can understand the disbelief but it’s true). If not among your vegetable or flower beds, many weed flowers act as food sources for predators and I mean the actual ones such as wasps and hoverflies that in turn feed off pests such as aphids.
In fact, vast tracks of agricultural land continue to be infested by pests simply because they’ve been treated with the strongest weed killers in the market. With no weeds to feed on, the pests turn their attention to carefully-nurtured plants for food (I mean, it’s not like they know the difference between uninvited weeds and desirable plant life).
As hard as this might be to digest, the greater fertility of your weed population, the healthier and better conditioned your soil and plants will be. Now, that doesn’t mean you let them grow until they take over your entire garden space (which they will if left to their own devices). It simply means you find a ratio and take them out strategically, while leaving some of them as bait for pests to feed on.
Finding an organic way out
Trust me; the thought of simply dousing weeds in glyphosate (a not organic but effective weed killer) has crossed my mind many times, especially when they’re really getting on top of me. However, having done that before and having watched the adverse effect it has on other plant life, I’ve changed my ways for good. Over the years, I’ve endorsed balanced, holistic, and organic ways to get rid of weeds and can vouch on the world of difference they’ve made to the health and vitality of my garden.
Now for the good stuff- while there isn’t one easy solution (we’re talking about pure-bred survivors so what do you expect?), a combination of the following ways should have you covered:
Tip 1: Use Mulch
Use organic mulch (decayed leaves as well as a combination of mushroom and garden compost work like a dream) and cover every piece of bare soil with it. If you aren’t too keen on aesthetics, then you could also opt for straw hay, shredded bark, and their likes). I am and therefore stick to aesthetically-appealing ones. Using organic mulch will improve the fertility of the soil and suppress weeds.
Tip 2: Weed with a Hoe
Use your favorite hoe (the long-handled gardening tool that’s mainly used for weeding) to slice through the roots of any weeds just below the surface of the soil. The trick is to do it little-by-little but often enough.
Now did I mention anything about consistency and patience being the two traits that marks the sign of a true gardener?
Tip 3: Weed by hand
Yes, I mean you get down on your knees, dig your hands right into the soil and get every scrap of weed with your fingers (you can use a hand fork too). Although not the most enjoyable aspects of gardening, in time, you’ll learn to develop the patience and might even get a kick from pulling them out with your bare fingers (sinistrous I know but it happens).
Tip 4: do whatever it takes but do at the right time
In your battle to stop weeds from taking over, it’s crucial, and I repeat, absolutely crucial to cut, hoe, mow, trim, pull (I simply mean you do whatever it takes) to stop them from multiplying. Using an integrated approach and a combination of the above tips at the right time can help you stay as weed-free as you possibly can at any given point in time.
Give us a shout. We are waiting to hear from you.
While the above best practices are effective and deliver great results, they cover only a fraction of what we know and would love to share with you. If you live in Orlando, then you’ll be happy to know that we’ve got just the right lawn and landscaping services for you. Having been in the industry for several years now, we’re passionate about lawns and would love to share our expertise with you. For us… this is serious business.