Weeds are the bane of every garden. When the first plants grow in the spring, unwanted weeds pop up too everywhere. But it doesn’t need strong chemicals right away, just to tackle a few weeds like chickweed, bittercress or spotted spurge, with homemade weed killers and a few tricks, you can fight them just as well. A natural way to kill weeds also makes sure that fruit and vegetables from your own garden are not chemically contaminated.
Natural Way To Kill Weeds Versus Synthetic Chemicals
Chemical weed killers decrease the soil fertility, and they remain in the soil and mix up with the groundwater potentially poisoning the environment, humans, other animals that are exposed to them. They also seem to be one of the main reasons for the big decline in insect populations.
But be careful too with homemade concoctions which are often promoted on many websites and social media platforms. These often include salts, Epsom Salts, Vinegar, Soaps, and other households that affect soil fertility, and also the toxic chemicals in them affect human health very badly.
Yes, they might kick the weed back a bit, but if you have Organic ways to control it you obviously give them a priority. Without forgetting that these products have not been sufficiently tested for their effectiveness and their harmlessness.
Here we are going to discuss the organic natural way to kill weeds to free your yard of unwanted plants.
By Hand
You can get rid of weeds by the old-fashioned method of simply pulling them out by hand. If you’re careful then wear a pair of dedicated gardening gloves to avoid the accidental transfer of seeds to another location.
You need to have good gardening tools, that can help you loosen the weed roots in the soil first. Pulling a weed completely by the root is the only way to make sure it doesn’t come back.
Mulches
Covering your garden soil with a layer of organic material can suffocate and inhibit weeds and prevent new seeds from germinating. Good sources of mulch include wood chips, compost, cut grass, and straw. Just make sure you don’t get hay, which can contain a lot of unwanted seeds.
You can also put dirt, newspapers, cardboard, old cotton curtains or sheets, garden rags, or any other thick material on the floor to prevent weeds from growing. This is particularly useful in your garden walkways before depositing gravel, stone, or wood chips.
Cornmeal
Did you know that corn gluten meal is a contraceptive method for seeds? Sprinkle your garden and this will prevent weed seeds from germinating and becoming plants.
Don’t try this trick too early when your garden is at a growing stage because corn gluten will prevent seeds from germinating.
Overcrowding
Weeds cannot settle in your garden if there is no space for them. In ornamental beds, plant ground covers and perennials to cover and shade the ground.
In addition to orchards, they detect the square foot gardening method or the planting method in wide rows so that the leaves of your plants touch each other at maturity. As plants grow, their leaves shade the bed and deprive weeds of the sun.
Newspapers
Chokes weeds and prevents new ones from growing by covering the ground with old newspapers. A thick layer of newspaper will prevent sunlight from reaching the weed seeds so they cannot germinate.
First, moisten the soil, then place the newspaper by moistening it again and then place sprincle mulch over it. It’s a great way to recycle, and as a bonus you will encourage earthworms to stay.
Limit Plowing and Digging
Plowing or turning the soil in your garden will bring new weed seeds to the surface. Instead, try using the other gardening methods, where it doesn’t disturb the soil as much as possible.
If you are planting seeds, dig only the necessary amount, rather than plowing the entire bed. The zero-tillage method also improves soil structure and fertility and increases the population of beneficial organisms in the soil.
Solarization
Solarizing your soil involves building a grassy soil area with heavy, transparent plastic sheeting. (Black plastic doesn’t work very well.) It only works in direct sunlight and in hot climates where heat builds up under the sheet and literally cooks weeds. Leave the leaf in place for 4-6 weeks and calm it only when all weeds are golden and dry.
For greater efficiency, plow the soil to remove weed seeds and allow them to germinate just before solarization.
Fertilize and Irrigate freely
The nutrients and water provided by your garden will help weeds and the vegetables and flowers you want. Just give your plants what they need.
Use drip irrigation, water bags, or pots to provide water only to the roots of your plants, not the empty spaces around you. Add more compost to heavy feeders like squash, tomatoes, and cucumbers, but much less to foods like root vegetables.
Boiled Water
A natural way to kill weeds is simply burning pesky weeds with boiling water. Just take your kettle off the stove and take it to the garden. Gently pour a stream of water over the crown of each unwanted plant. Hard and long root perennial weeds may require two to three applications, but will eventually stop coming back.
Wear your warm compresses, of course, and definitely take the precaution of wearing long pants and closed shoes.
Weed Torch
A bit rabid but also an effective natural way to kill weeds is a weed torch. It works by heating the water inside the cells of the plant. When the water in the weeds turns into steam then the weed ultimately die. No need to burn weeds, just dry them. It takes a little practice, but it is very effective.
Never use it on poison ivy or other poisonous plants as it can release toxic fumes into the air and ultimately into the eyes or lungs.
The Benefit of the natural way to get rid of weeds
Weeds may be of great importance in ecological balance, but nobody wants to be confronted with them in your own yard. Thanks to increased environmental awareness, toxic chemicals are no longer wanted in many gardens. Natural way to get rid of weeds may be a little more complex, but it is environmentally friendly and does not poison our food and the environment.