Maintaining a weed-free garden is a constant struggle for many gardeners. When you think you’ve got it under control, another weed shows its face.
Luckily, there’s a few things you can do a few things to help your garden stay weed-free.
1. Grow more plants
A simple yet genius approach to creating a weed-free garden. Speaking to the ABC, consulting gardener Kate Wall says the fuller your garden, the better.
“If there are no gaps, there are no weeds,” she says.
“When you have a full garden, there is less work to do as you don’t need to weed as the garden takes care of itself.
“It creates a microclimate; therefore, the plants start supporting each other, so a full garden is less work.”
2. Choose the right plants for your garden
First of all, it’s essential to choose the right plants. The definition of a weed is a plant growing in the ‘wrong’ place, where it is not wanted or where it causes harm. If left unattended, some plants will take over your whole garden.
3. Improve your soil
Kate also recommends adjusting the soil to make the conditions less favourable for the weeds in your garden.
“For example, nutgrass is a big problem for most people as it loves compacted soil with little calcium. So to fix the soil, you need to add a good rock mineral product and compost,” Kate says.
“Good fertile soil and filling up the garden, so there’s no room for the weeds to come up really are the best ways to start.”
If you need help identifying the types of weeds in your garden, head to Weed Wise, a database of over 300 weed profiles.
4. Avoid using salt as a weed killer
Homemade weed killers are a popular way to try and control weeds in your garden but stay away from the salt.
While salt will kill your weeds, there’s a chance it can destroy the rest of your garden too. Salt is very dehydrating for plants (that’s how it kills the weeds). If it leeches into your soil, it can create an environment unsuitable for growing anything.
How to make home brew weed spray
- Raid your kitchen for ingredients to make your own herbicide.
- Pour 1 litre of white vinegar into a bucket, then add 10ml of dishwashing liquid.
- Pour into a spray bottle and spray onto weeds.
5. Add mulch
Adding a layer of mulch to an established garden bed can help stop the weeds from germinating.
Make sure the soil is moist before applying mulch. Apply a 5–10 cm layer of mulch and avoid mounding the mulch around the base of plants.
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