Did you know that with just three simple tips, you can all but eliminate weeds and the endless chore of weeding in your flowerbeds for good?
There is nothing more frustrating to a gardener than dealing with weeds. Especially weeds that continue to grow back again and again stronger than before. It can take hours upon hours to clear a bed. And is it ever disheartening to then see them come back even thicker in just a week or two!
Once weeds gain a foothold in beds, it can seem impossible to gain the upper hand, let alone try to eliminate them for good. But here’s the good news – it is possible. Even better, it can be easier than you think and require far less hard labor than you ever imagined. And best of all? It can be done naturally, without having to use harsh chemical sprays!
How To Eliminate Weeds In Your Flowerbeds For Good!
So what are these three simple secrets to getting rid of weeds forever? The first has to do with how and what you mulch with. The second has to do with how you maintain that mulch. And the third and final secret is all about how you plant from here on out.
Sounds simple right? As you will see below – it really is. And it all starts with the most important task of all, mulching your beds correctly to stop weeds!
#1 How To Mulch Flowerbeds To Eliminate Weeds
Mulch is the ultimate weapon for fighting weeds in flowerbeds. When soil is left bare or has only a light coat of mulch, weed seeds can easily find soil to germinate. And as they grow, they create more seed heads that can easily find soil to grow as well.
The biggest mistake gardeners make with mulch is not using enough. To be effective, mulch needs to be at least four inches thick. To really be effective, it should be six inches deep. It may sound like a lot, but it is exactly what is needed to stop weeds.
With a four to six inch cover of mulch, weed seeds can not find a home down in the soil. In addition, existing seeds already in the soil have a hard time germinating. Best of all, a thick layer of mulch also helps retain moisture for your flowers, all while regulating the soil temperature too.
Selecting The Right Mulch To Eliminate Weeds In Your Flowerbeds
So what is the best mulch to use for flowerbeds? At the top of the list is shredded hardwood mulch. Hardwood mulch is heavy enough to block weed seeds from getting into the soil. At the same time, as it breaks down over time, it adds nutrients and humus to the soil.
But for fighting weeds, it’s best to select a hardwood mulch that is not overly shredded or processed. When mulch is finely shredded, it acts more like soil. And because of that, weed seeds can germinate within it.
Avoid double, triple and ultra-fine shredded mulches. Not only will they not last as long and need to be replaced often, they are so fine they will actually help to grow more weeds.
#2 Leave Your Mulch Alone
The second big key to eliminate weeds in your flowerbeds is all about working less – but working smarter. Once you have that thick coat of mulch in place – leave it alone! When left untouched, mulch will pack down and form a barrier against weed seeds. Weed seeds may blow in and on top, but they can never find a way to the surface to germinate.
Another key mistake gardeners make is to rake or “fluff” their mulch to freshen it up. This single act allows all of those weed seeds on top to sift down below to the surface. Unfortunately, once they do – the weed process starts all over again!
Instead of raking or stirring existing mulch, simply add an inch or two on top as needed. This will keep the weed seeds from sifting down – and more importantly, help keep your weeding chores to a minimum!
#3 Fill Your Beds With Plants – Not Mulch!
The third and final secret to weed free flowerbeds is to fill your beds with plants – and not just mulch!
When planting flowerbeds, it is better to keep your overall bed space smaller, but filled with more plants. Unfortunately, large beds with large open spaces of mulch become a haven for weeds and weed seeds.
The more plants you can pack into your flowerbeds, the better! The foliage of perennials and annuals is the best type of “living mulch” of all. Not only do they block the hot sun from drying out the soil below, they also form a natural barrier against weed seeds.
And filling your beds with plants doesn’t have to be expensive! Perennials are easy to divide. And for many plants, you can divide in the spring, fall and even summer. See our article: How To Divide Overgrown Hostas In The Summer – Get Your Hostas Back In Shape!
By simply taking small divisions from existing plants, you can quickly fill your flowerbeds within a few years. Even better, by doing so, it will require less and less mulch and labor to put down the mulch with each passing year. Talk about a win-win situation!
A Few Final Tips
By simply mulching thicker, leaving it alone, and packing your plants in tight, you really can significantly reduce and nearly eliminate the weeds in your flowerbeds. But even with those three big factors in place, nothing can replace tending to your beds a few minutes every day.
By simply strolling your flowerbeds for five minutes every day or two, you can quickly eliminate any small weed that begins to appear in minutes. Unfortunately, waiting a week or two to check your beds will allow problems to multiply ten-fold.
Just remember – 5 minutes a day checking for tiny or small weeds is simple. But allowing those issues to multiply can mean spending 3 or 4 hours in a single day in just a week or two!
Simple Garden Life
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