Beginner’s Guide to Weeding – Part One

This two part lesson for beginners guide to weeding will focus on prevention. The second part will focus on tips for actual weeding. I strongly believe though that part one is the most important, often overlooked part of weeding.

Where I live in California, much-needed rain in the winter and spring brings water to my thirsty plants but also brings lots of weeds. While weeds are not evil in and of themselves and actually I give them a lot of credit for their survival in difficult environments. Regardless of my admiration for their scrappy and tenacious nature, they are often an unwelcome addition in my garden landscape as they compete for resources and disturb the aesthetic that I am aiming for. Over the years, I have built up strategies that I have found helpful in the aim to reduce weeds in my garden. I am hoping that you may learn from some of my mistakes.

An ounce of prevention – laying down a barrier

In this guide to weeding, we want to prevent as many weeds as possible. Some work upfront can help a great deal towards combating unwanted weeds. Here are some of my favorite lines of defense against weeds.

Landscape Fabric

Don’t mistake this for plastic. Plastic does not allow the soil to breath and should be kept out of the garden, however I have been very please with landscape fabric. Yes, it is some work up front, but I think that it saves a lot of time over the years from weeds taking over a section of your yard.

Landscape Fabric
I have tried several different kinds. I like this one as the fibers are really strong and yet still allow for water and air to penetrate the soil.
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I prefer these to the plastic landscape spikes that are also sold because they are durable, easier to pound into the ground and eventually will decompose into the soil.
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Cardboard and Paper

I have used cardboard and paper to replace landscape fabric as a low cost (okay nearly free) solution. I usually put several layers of paper that needs to be recycled anyway or better yet, old cardboard boxes. The boxes do a particularly great job as a weed barrier. You want to remember though to remove packing tape and stickers from the boxes or you will get bits of plastic breaking up, which is not great for the soil and it tends to be an eye sore.

Mulch, Bark, DG, and Rocks

No guide to weeding would be complete without talking about a top dressing. After you lay a weed barrier, you will want a top dressing of mulch, bark, or rocks. Obviously, this makes the area a lot more aesthetically pleasing as it makes your garden bed look finished. It also helps retain moisture in the soil. When I add the bark atop the soil, earthworms beneficial garden bugs are present breaking down organic material, giving nutrients to the plants. You would not think it, but using decomposed granite or rocks does this just as well. Using this top dressing is also another layer in your fight against weeds. When they do come up, there will be fewer than before and they will be MUCH easier to pull up and remove.

Using a Chemical to Prevent Weeds

I am not really very comfortable using a lot of chemicals when I garden. I really try and garden organically when I am growing food and I like for nature to maintain a balance in the rest of my yard as well. In this guide to weeding, I feel like I need to add a chemical option for this one instance. One thing I sometimes do though is spray preemergent on certain parts of my yard. I for one don’t like using round up weekly to get rid of weeds, but I do a once a yearly spray that prevents weeds from growing in certain parts of my garden. I don’t do this anywhere there are plants, but confine this practice to:

• Cracks in sidewalks
• The seating area that I have with rocks
• Along the boarders of paths where there are no plants
• Over my DG in the backyard where I don’t want plants to grow

I have opted for a few areas that we have permeable surfaces like rocks and DG because I don’t want too much concrete for both an aesthetic look as well as making sure water can flow back into the ground like it is supposed to naturally. In these places, I apply a pre‑emergent herbicide. To use this, you spray it in the desired area (again, not around plants) and it keeps the area (mostly) weed free for an entire year.

Roundup Max Control 365
This spray kills and prevents weeds for up to 12 months. You don’t have to mix this, just spray on driveways, patios, sidewalks, and gravel areas for a season of no weeds.
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