- Department:Comprehensive Planning Division
A Better Way to Get Rid of Weeds
by Billy Haselton
You can have a beautiful garden without damaging the environment
Gardens are some of the most beautiful places on earth. The sad reality of gardening is that weeds compete with the plants you want and take away from their beauty. As a result, weed control seems to be a never-ending part of sustaining the beauty of a garden. Most people try to find a quick and easy solution to the problem of weeds by using chemical weed killers, known as herbicides. Sometimes, though, a solution can cause even bigger problems.
So what big problems can chemical herbicides cause? Actually, using them can have quite a few unintended consequences. As you might imagine, these toxic chemicals contaminate the environment. They effectively kill weeds, yes, but they can also kill other desirable plants and species such as earthworms, butterflies, frogs and even birds. Not only that, but herbicides pose significant health risks to humans, ranging from irritating your skin to even poisoning you. Water drainage, as a result of rain or watering methods, contains herbicides that can kill fish and other aquatic life and can poison our water supply. And did you know that repeated use of herbicides can make weeds resistant to their effects? But herbicide use isn’t the only way to get rid of weeds.
Killing Weeds
After weeds have already invaded your flower bed or garden, you obviously have to find a way to remove them. There are two basic methods: physical removal and mechanical removal.
Physical removal – When using this method, you are literally destroying the weeds by pulling them out of the ground. You can pull out the weeds by hand or dig them out with a shovel. This method is generally very effective, but it takes effort.
Mechanical removal – This method, which uses a weed eater or a lawnmower, mows weeds down to the ground. It doesn’t take out the roots, though, so the weeds will grow back.
Preventing Weeds
Here are some tips to keep weeds from invading in the first place.
Use a mulch made of wood chips to keep the weeds from growing.
Cover the ground with landscape fabrics or plastic sheeting.
Plant ground cover or low-growing plants to cover the ground.
Place garden plants close together to crowd out the weeds.
By using some of these natural methods, you can keep your garden looking superb without using dangerous herbicides that could damage your health – and the environment.
