Weeds can be a real nuisance in the garden, and it can be tempting to just reach for the weed killer to get rid of them. Weeds can destroy crops and can be a haven for pests and diseases.
As a general rule you remove weeds by one of three ways. You can smother the weeds with mulch or fertilizer. There are a variety of tools that can be used to pull weeds. There’s even homemade remedies that can safely kill the weeds. Which ever you choose we have you covered.
Organic Ways to Remove Weeds
Mulch: The first step in using natural methods to control weeds is to stop them from growing by mulching the area where you don’t want them. Cover the ground with a thick layer of organic material or compost, and water it well. You can also lay down a sheet of black plastic for several weeks at the beginning of the season so that the sun will bake off any weed seeds beneath it but take care not to cover plants’ trellises with it as they won’t receive enough light if you do. We look at whether you should mulch a vegetable garden in this post.
Smother Weeds: Make your own smothering paint by mixing soybean oil (which is readily available) with ordinary flour, moistening this mixture with warm water, and stirring in enough lime to make it smell strongly. Smother weeds by brushing or spraying this paint over them; when the plants are coated with the paint, dust them lightly with ordinary flour (which you can save from time to time for this purpose). This prevents sunlight reaching the leaves of the weed plants and they soon die. Find out other ways lime can help your garden in this post.
Vinegar: Another organic way to remove weeds is to drown them in vinegar. Fill a spray bottle with white distilled vinegar and spray your weeds; within two weeks they will be dead. Just pour some into a small shallow cup or bowl, place these near your affected areas, and that should kill any weed growths just through contact.
Cloves: Get rid of weeds with cloves. Crush 4-5 cloves into a fine paste, mix it with hot water and leave to stand overnight. Next morning, strain the mixture through some muslin, using this as your natural weed killer by pouring it over the affected areas.
Fertilize: Adding more organic matter will reduce weed growth on its own, however if you are really after getting rid of weeds use fertilizers that won’t interfere with other plants but will prevent weeds from growing fast enough to compete.
Use Baking Soda: Baking soda is also considered one of the best organic ways to remove weeds. Sprinkle baking soda wherever you see roots making their way into the surface of your garden or lawn, this baking soda treatment can also be used as a preventive measure to keep weeds from growing in the first place.
Boiling Water: If you have a small area with a few weeds, you can kill them with boiling water. Pour boiling water directly on top of the weed, taking care not to pour it on any nearby plants. Be careful not to get burned!
Epsom Salt: A great way to stop weed growth is by using Epsom salt. Sprinkle it around the plants you want to protect, and the magnesium sulfate in Epsom salt will prevent new weed growth while feeding your plants at the same time.
Orange Citrus Peels: Another naturally occurring compound that stops weed growth is d-limonene, which is found in orange peels. Grind up the orange peels and sprinkle them around affected areas. For best results, allow this mixture to sit for about a week before raking it into your soil.
Bananas: Another organic way to remove weeds is by using banana peels. Slice the banana peel in two parts and place it on top of the weed; because bananas are rich in potassium, placing them on top of weeds will kill them because they make the soil too acidic for living weed roots.
Pull Weeds: The most obvious way to get rid of weeds is simply to pull them out by hand. This is a tedious process, but it’s effective if you do it regularly and catch the weeds before they can spread.
Tools to remove weeds
Weed Puller: A weed puller (paid link) is a tool that looks like a large metal claw. You insert it into the ground next to the weed, and then you twist it to pull the weed out of the ground.
Weeder: A weeder is a tool that has a long handle and a V-shaped blade. You use it to scrape weeds out of the ground.
Hoe: A hoe is a tool that has a flat blade at one end and a sharp point at the other end. You use it to chop weeds off at the soil line.
Trowel: A trowel is a tool that has a small, pointed blade. You use it to dig weeds out of the ground.
Mulch: Mulching is a way to cover the soil with a layer of organic material, such as straw, leaves, or bark chips. This will prevent new weed growth and will also help to keep the soil moist.
Plastic: You can use plastic to cover an area to prevent weed growth. The plastic should be tight-fitting so that no light can get through. Leave the plastic in place for at least six weeks to kill all the weeds.
Newspaper: You can use newspaper to cover an area to prevent weed growth. The newspaper should be tightly folded so that no light can get through. Leave the newspaper in place for at least six weeks to kill all the weeds.
Find out the best tools for weeding in this post!
How to pull weeds
How to pull weeds: When pulling out weeds, be sure to get as much of the root out as possible; otherwise, they will grow back quickly. If you leave some root behind, the weed may grow again and then you’ll have two weeds where there should only be one. You can also remove and discard the entire plant or drop it into a bucket of water to kill it, although this should only be done when you’re working near other plants that don’t need irrigation.
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