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So, you have been enjoying your garden for a while now, but are getting worried about the amount of weeds that seem to prop up overnight, right? If you do not want to use chemical weed control methods, read on. This article will provide information on organic weed control methods that you can make use of to reduce the amount of weeds in your garden.
Maybe one of the best organic weed control methods there is is to use mulching. Mulching consists of placing some kind of material on top of the surface of the soil. This serves many purposes apart from reducing the number of weeds. In the first place, since the material is covering the soil, no sun gets to the soil, so weeds cannot grow there. By not allowing the sun to reach the soil you will not only reduce weed growth, but also water evaporation, which is especially helpful in the hot summer months. An added benefit of mulching is that it serves as fertilizer. When the material you have selected starts decomposing due to the action of the water, the sun and the elements, it will release nutrients that your plants will be able to use. So, what organic materials can you use for mulching? These include grass clippings, peat moss, shredded leaves, wood chips, wood shavings or almost any other biodegradable material you can think of.
Other organic weed control methods are corn gluten and vinegar, for example. You should be aware, however, that although these to substances are very effective at preventing the growth of weeds, they will also prevent ornamental plants from growing, so you can only apply this method to a well-established garden bed, with healthy plants. Furthermore, the use of vinegar will turn the soil acid, which is ideal for plants like hydrangeas, azaleas and chrysanthemums, for example, but which can damage plants which do not require a soil with a high level of acidity.
If your weed problem is too big, or if you cannot use any of the organic weed control methods described above, you can always turn to using a plastic sheet, the size and shape of your bed. Please note that this is not an option for planted and established beds, but for new ones. When the bed is empty, cover it with a plastic sheet, then make holes just big enough so that the plants can be planted easily, and that’s it. No weeds will grow. This option, however, does not look as nice as mulching with organic material, and can make watering difficult.
If none of the organic weed control methods above appeal to you, the ultimate option is to pull weeds. Yes, it can look like too much work, but if you go out into the garden and pull some weeds each time, you will see how quickly they disappear. When you remove weeds mechanically, be sure to get rid of the root system and/or bulbs. If not, they will just keep growing! Choose one of these organic weed control methods to rid your garden of weeds!
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about weed management and gardening articles at GreenThumbArticles.com!
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