Controlling Weeds Without Chemicals

Weeds can be the most persistent challenge in maintaining a beautiful garden. After investing time and effort in your outdoor space, these unwanted plants compete with your carefully chosen flowers and vegetables for water, sunlight, and nutrients. While chemical weed killers might seem like an easy solution, their environmental impact makes natural alternatives worth considering. By choosing natural weed control methods, you can maintain a healthy garden that’s safe for everyone to enjoy.

Here, the experts at Jim’s Mowing break down the basics of controlling weeds naturally.

Environmental Impact of Chemical Weed Treatment

Chemical weed killers may seem like an easy solution, but they can do more harm than good, particularly to wildlife, pets, and the environment.

The manufacturing process involved in creating chemical treatments and herbicides alone is damaging to the environment. When gardeners use these chemicals in their yards, small amounts can seep into the groundwater, causing further pollution. It may not seem like much each time, but over time, this build-up can wreak havoc on local ecosystems.

Preventing Weeds from Growing

The easiest way to control weeds is to prevent them from growing in the first place. Some prevention methods include using organic mulch on your plants, which smothers weeds and helps to retain moisture. Intentionally placing your plants close together is another good way to stop weeds from sprouting up, as they’ll have no space to grow in between. Finally, inspecting new plants and soil for any unwanted seeds or sprouts will help to prevent weed seeds from making themselves comfortable in your yard.

Managing Weeds Naturally

Prevention is better than cure, but if there are weeds already visible in your yard, then finding a way to eradicate them is essential to your garden’s health. There are a few ways to tackle this:

Remove by hand

Removing weeds by hand is easy, relatively effective, and many gardeners find it to be a satisfying and cathartic experience. To remove by hand, ensure that you apply force at the bottom of the stem to pull the roots out of the ground, disposing of them in your garden waste bin. While many weeds can be composted in a properly maintained hot compost heap, beginners might prefer to dispose of them separately until they’re confident in their composting technique. This is because if the compost does not reach high enough temperatures through the composting process, the weed seeds will remain alive, ready to reestablish themselves wherever the compost is spread.

Removing by hand isn’t the most efficient method, particularly if the problem is spread throughout your garden, so it’s best suited for a small number of weeds. You can also use a hand weeder, particularly when dealing with small garden areas. These are like miniature hoes that make quick work of removing weeds.

If you choose this method of natural weed management, be sure to wear gloves to protect your skin.

Use a gardening hoe

You can use a hula hoe (also called a stirrup hoe, oscillating hoe, or scuffle hoe) to scrape the weeds out of the ground before they flower and drop seeds. This is a particularly efficient tool for the job, with its blade cutting through the weed roots without displacing or harming the soil. Just make sure you use it when the soil is dry, since hoeing when it’s wet can cause the soil to clump and crack beneath the surface, which could harm your plants.

Boiling water

Boiling water is a simple and straightforward method of killing weeds, but needs to be done precisely. Simply heat your water and once it is boiling and pour it directly onto the offending weeds to kill them without leaving harmful residues. Be careful not to pour any hot water onto surrounding plants or yourself when using this method.

Household vinegar

Although technically still a chemical, vinegar is a natural herbicide which can effectively kill weeds without the risks and negative impacts associated with traditional weed killers. Simply apply vinegar directly to the weeds and wait a day or so for them to die. Avoid applying any vinegar onto surrounding plants and soil, and wait for a dry day to do this. If you apply vinegar after rain, you risk the liquid being spread to other plants in the area.

Weed-suppressing mulching

Applying mulch can do more than prevent weeds and retain moisture, it can also kill existing weeds. So, for larger areas, consider a comprehensive mulching approach.
Begin by moistening the soil, then apply thick layers of newspaper to block sunlight that would otherwise allow weed seeds to germinate. Cover the area with organic mulch at least 100mm deep, and leave undisturbed for three to six months. This method not only controls weeds, but also improves soil quality.

You could even plant a “living mulch” of low-growing creepers. This includes thyme, chamomile, isotoma, and other spreading plants that effectively discourage weeds while enhancing the overall aesthetic of your garden beds.

Expert Help When You Need It

While these natural methods prove effective, managing a larger garden requires time and consistent effort. If you find weed control challenging, our experienced team at Jim’s Mowing can help. With years of expertise in organic weed control and sustainable gardening practices, we specialise in maintaining beautiful, weed-free gardens using environmentally-friendly methods.

Our service include mowing, landscaping, lawn aeration, and more, along with expert weed control and personalised advice for your specific garden needs. Get in touch with your local Jim’s Mowing rep today!