Using Solutions Without Chemicals for Weed Control for Your Lawn and Garden

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Monday, February 16th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

While it may seem like an impossible goal, keeping your lawn and garden areas weed-free without using harmful chemicals can be done. Some people think that it is just too much work and can only mean hours of back-breaking, knee-numbing work. Fortunately, you don’t have to get down on your knees and pull those weeds out by hand. In fact, the whole idea is to work smarter, instead of harder, and still enjoy chemical-free weed control.

The first big change needed to begin controlling the weeds in your lawns and gardens without chemicals is to properly prepare the soil for the areas in question. This would be considered laying the proper foundation where you will be growing your plants. It is best to implement the following ideas before doing your plantings so that you get your chemical-free weed control project off to a great start.

One of the best ways to avoid having weeds sprout up in your gardens or patio lawn is to kill the weeds though a process called soil solarization. This is a preventative approach and a completely organic way of eliminating weeds before they even have a chance to sprout. However, soil solarization does require a good bit of work, and is only effective if you can start planting the area with a clean slate.

Another effective approach to eliminating weeds from your lawn and garden areas is installing landscape fabrics. These specially manufactured fabrics will go a long way in helping you get rid of weeds without the need to spray toxic chemicals all over the landscape.

Utilizing garden mulch is another very beneficial approach to protecting your lawns and gardens from an invasion of weeds. While landscape fabrics work from below the prepared planting area, mulch is applied to the top of the soil, around your plants and can effectively smother a weed trying to break through to the surface. Mulch can also be used in conjunction with the anti-weed landscape fabrics for a one-two punch strategy of organic weed control.

Another added benefit of using mulch is that it also has the ability to provide insulation to your plantings. This insulation value is particularly helpful in the summertime and can help to keep the underlying soil both cool and moist. This will reduce the watering requirements and will also protect the root systems from damage caused by sever heat.

While some people have chalked it up to an old wives tale, vinegar can also help you control weeds without chemicals. It is the acetic acid in the vinegar that delivers an herbicidal dose to weeds. But, you will need a stronger variety than what you probably have in the cupboard and you can look for super-strength vinegar in weed and feed stores.

If you do decide you want to utilize vinegar in an organic approach to weed killing in your lawn and garden spaces, then you have to be careful to only apply it to the weeds and not to any of your plants. Vinegar would be classified as a “non-selective” herbicide, which means it will damage anything it touches and because of this it cannot be used for lawns. But, vinegar can be a very effective organic approach to controlling weeds around your flowers and plants if you take careful aim when spraying.

No building is complete without some grass, a few plants and some shrubbery to help enhance the quality of the building. The added value of curb appeal can make the difference when selling a house or increasing the value of a home. Any little bit helps and you do not always need a professional to do the landscaping for you. It never hurts to have some professional advice or a little bit of knowledge before you start ripping up your front yard, though. Some trees, some pleasant green grass, and you will get it down pat before you know it Who knows? Possibly you will decide it as a line of work that you might be curious in following. Below there are some basic frequently asked questions of landscaping so that you can get some idea of how landscaping is completed and how it might be simpler than you may think.

When should I hire a landscaper?

You should employ a landscaper if you don’t have a a special ability to make plants grow and you are not going to have the time to commit to getting rid of the prior landscape and planting the new. There are specific steps that must be put into place to prevent soil erosion so it will require at a minimum a weekend of challenging work. Landscaper’s are not inexpensive but you can find one at a fair cost contingent upon on how big the area is and how much labor you mean to complete yourself. If you are going to maintain the area, you will spend less money as well.

What credentials should I search for in a superior landscaper?

An established landscaper will have a photography album of all the various landscape that he or she has completed. They will have a background that has an training in landscape architecture or have a great deal of actual experience in landscaping. If you want to see an actual landscape that they have created and planted, the landscaper should not hesitate at showing you or providing you with the particulars to contact the owner of the property. It is in their best interest to have happy and pleased clients.

Whats the best way to decide on the kind of plant to use?

The kind of plant you select will be contingent upon on your climate and the amount of water you want to use. It will also depend on how much sun your yard receives throughout the day. Some plants flourush in the shade when others will wilt. For those people who live in areas that are prone to drought, they should consider planting plants that are hardy which need small amounts of water and actually help maintain the soil from process of erosion. Numerous individuals choose to have rock gardens as well as cactus if they happen to live in desert climates.

At what time is the ideal season for planting?

The ideal planting season is dependent upon what variation of plant you wish to grow. Bulbs are best planted in the fall so that they have time to root within the soil. Other plants are best suited to planting during the spring months. There are some plants will not produce flowers or fruits until one or two seasons later so you have to get ready for this. Trees will have to go through several years before they become substantial enough to provide enough shade or create fruit.

Will do this type of landscaping add to the value of my home as well as it’s curb appeal?

A great lawn can add tremendous curb appeal and value to your home. It will make the features of your home stand out and if you are looking to sell your home, it is one of the first details that potential buyers will notice. There is nothing quite like a well manicured lawn and carefully trimmed hedges that add immense immediate value to a property.

To discover more head on over to Backyard Landscaping also City Landscape and certainly try Landscape Lighting Kits