A common concern for organic gardeners is finding ways to kill weeds naturally. If you’re trying to avoid synthetic weed killers and keep your garden as healthy as possible, there are many natural alternatives.
From common household items to clever gardening practices, this guide can help you find the best way to manage the weeds without hurting your garden environment.
If you’ve spent time removing weeds and want to make sure they don’t come back, try sprinkling corn gluten meal on exposed areas of the garden. This will prevent the weed seeds from germinating and becoming pesky plants.
Apply regular household vinegar directly to unwanted weeds to kill them off. Use a spray bottle, pump sprayer or even a paint brush to add the vinegar carefully, as it can harm more than just the weeds. Try applying vinegar on a dry day, so there’s no chance of water washing it away.
Have old newspapers to spare? You can use them to smother the weeds and prevent new ones from popping up. Create a thick layer of newspaper to block the sun and prevent photosynthesis. This method works best if you remove existing weeds first and lay the newspaper directly onto damp soil.
Mulch is not only an excellent natural weed killer, but one of the best ways to keep your garden healthy in general. Cover the soil with a few inches of mulch - made of organic matter like leaves, wood chips and grass clippings - to help retain moisture and prevent new weed growth.
For a low maintenance and long-term weed control, leave no space in your garden uncovered. Ground cover plants like creeping thyme, clover and bugleweed spread out over the surface of the ground to form a natural shield against weeds. As a bonus, you’ll enjoy the lush aesthetic and protection against soil erosion.
These are only a few ways to kill weeds naturally, but some of the simplest. Keep these household items and garden strategies in mind when maintaining your green spaces to keep them free of pesky weeds.
Marilyn Mayberry has had the honor and privilege of engaging in one of the most exciting careers imaginable. She has marketed the American dream of home ownership for over 40 years. Marilyn is the Associate Broker for her own boutique brokerage Real Estate Today LLC in Farmington Hills. Her company offers a complete line of residential and commercial services to buyers and sellers.
Buying or selling real estate is probably one of the most important decisions anyone will make in a lifetime. Marilyn’s passion for the real estate business assures that the transaction will be handled with the highest degree of professionalism. This philosophy has allowed her to build a community of lifelong relationships.
