Here’s How to Control Weeds in Your Lawn & Garden

Selective vs. Non-Selective Weed Killer

One method of weed control involves the use of herbicides. There are two main types of herbicidal weed killer: selective and non-selective. Selective weed sprays are formulated to specifically target only weeds. This makes them ideal for use on lawns and gardens where you want to remove the weeds but not damage the surrounding grass and plants. Non-selective weed killer will kill any organic matter they’re applied to, making them useful for driveways and patios. There are also pre-emergent weed killers, which can help destroy weeds before they really get a chance to grow.

Natural Weed Killers

There are many natural weed killer options available. These are typically eco-friendly and safe for the surrounding environment. Natural weed control should only be applied to the weeds themselves, as they are typically non-selective and may damage other plants. Some natural weed control options include:

Pulling weeds by hand
Sprinkling corn gluten on bare areas to prevent weed seeds from germinating
Spraying vinegar onto the weeds directly as a homemade weed killer
Spreading newspaper or a weed barrier on bare areas to block the sun and prevent weeds from germinating
Mixing salt, water, and organic dish soap to spray on weeds
Putting salt at the base of each plant at the root to kill weeds at the source
Scalding weeds with boiling water

Plant Close Together

Plant your flowers and other garden plants as close together as possible to leave little room for weeds to infiltrate. This can act as a natural weed control method.

Mulching Your Garden

Adding mulch to your garden around plants in bare areas is a great way to keep weeds away. Not only is mulch a good way to promote proper air circulation and drainage, it also blocks sunlight where weeds might grow so they can’t germinate.

Aerate Your Soil

Aerating is a good way to prevent weeds because it loosens the soil, which prevents weed roots from taking hold. You can do this using a regular garden rake and garden shovel to move soil around gently. Motorized tillers and plug aerators are better suited to larger areas. If you’ve already put some plants in the ground, try not to disrupt the soil too much as it can also disturb the plant roots.

Weed Barriers & Landscape Fabric

Weed barriers and landscape fabrics work similar to mulch in that it blocks the weeds from receiving sunlight and keeps them from germinating.

Manual Weed Pulling

For occasional weeds, hand-pulling is a viable method of weed control. You can also use a weed puller or garden weeder to remove the entire root vs. just pulling off the top. Some studies show that tilling or weeding your garden at night may help naturally reduce the growth of certain weeds.

Hoeing Your Garden

Use a basic garden hoe to remove weeds. Hold the hoe as you would a broom and move down with one sweeping motion to lop off the tops of weeds. Make sure you disturb the soil as little as possible to avoid damaging your plants.

Using a Weed Trimmer

A weed trimmer or weed eater can quickly remove weeds from the perimeter of your lawn and in between rows in your garden. Take care to remove only the weeds as the powerful trimmer string can easily damage plants and grass.

Don’t Water the Weeds

Where possible, limit watering to only your plants and don’t give the weeds any extra moisture. This helps with weed control by drying them out before they can fully take hold.

Aerate Your Lawn

Aerating your lawn is a good method of weed control, and it also helps grass grow fuller. Use a plug aerator by going over your lawn in a vertical pattern first, then in a horizontal pattern. Aeration will loosen soil and create small holes in the lawn to allow for maximum air flow while depriving weed seeds of strong roots.

Overseed in Spring & Fall

Overseeding your lawn allows the grass seed to crowd out any weed seeds that might be hiding underneath. You should do this with cool and warm weather grasses at the beginning of spring and fall.

Water Your Lawn Regularly

Regular watering with a lawn sprinkler will help your grass grow stronger and crowd out the weeds. Many weeds do not like over saturation, while many types of grass thrive on wet conditions.

Mow Your Lawn Right

Mowing your lawn is also a good method of weed control when done correctly. Mow your grass high enough to block out sunlight for weeds, while low enough to cut the weeds themselves. If your lawn is full of weeds, you may want to use a lawn mower with a rear bagger to remove weed seeds.