HOMEWARD BOUND

1. Cover the ground with tarp, mulch, fabric, or ground cover plants

Especially for gardens and non-grass areas, weed prevention often works best. If they never grow, you don’t need to kill them. Covering less-used areas, as well as vegetable and flower gardens, with tarps, mulch, or fabric during the winter months will keep weeds from planting and sprouting in early spring.

Planting ground cover plants can be similarly effective year round, because they crowd out the sunlight and keep weeds at bay.

2. Hire a professional lawncare specialist to battle your weeds for you

This weeding thing can be a big, tough job and sometimes you just need to get the bulk of it done by a professional. Find someone who shares your approach to weeds, yard care, and the environment.

3. Feed your lawn regularly so weeds can’t crowd out the grass

The thicker your grass, the harder it is for weeds to break through. Feeding your lawn with fertilizer helps it grow up thicker and fuller. You can increase this effect even more by mowing your grass at a higher setting, so it stays taller.

4. Water heavily but not every day so your grass grows deeper roots

Deeper roots make it tougher on weeds to find suitable ground to plant themselves.

5. Replace your grass and dirt with rocks and gravel

Some people have converted entire yards to rocks or gravel. There are dozens of sizes, varieties, colors, and textures you can choose from, many with high degrees of visual appeal. This is labor intensive, but the payoff is less labor dealing with weeds in the future.

The first step is to dig out the area you want to replace with rocks. Then, lay down a layer of high quality fabric. Next, install vinyl siding, which creates your borders, and then fill in with rocks.

6. Turn part of your yard into a patio or ‘outdoor floor’

This is the most permanent and effective weed prevention idea. If you have a problem area, covering it with properly installed pavers to make a patio or floor will keep weeds out of the entire area.

It costs a bit more up front, but the result will be a visually appealing outdoor area where you can put furniture and relax comfortably outside.

7. Use weed-killing chemicals

My least favorite method, by far, but sometimes this is what is needed… There is a great variety of chemical solutions, with varying degrees of environmental friendliness. The harshest ones are known as systemic and non-selective. They kill the whole weed and anything else they touch.

Less harsh solutions include selective options, which kill weeds like crabgrass and dandelions, but won’t harm your grass.

You can also try homemade solutions, such as vinegar mixed with dish soap, rubbing alcohol mixed with water (2 Tbsp per quart water), and plain boiling water. Yes, if you boil water, take it outside, and douse your weeds with it, it will burn them out down to the roots. Just be sure you can target weeds only.