We are all familiar with the term weed, and most of us have had to deal with a weed problem at some point. It’s important to get rid of these invaders which can take over your yard if you let them, as they can prevent your plants from growing as well as they should. Weeds are not something that can be left unattended to as once they start to grow, they can take hold very quickly.
Any yard can fall prey to weeds. They can spread into your yard from outside, or seeds can be brought into your yard, on the wind or by animals or birds. So, how can you define what is a weed, and how do you get rid of them once they have been identified?
What is a weed?
There are many words that are used to describe a weed. Basically, a weed is a plant that grows out of place and is not wanted. Weeds tend not to have known benefits and they compete for nourishment with other plants. Their persistence often pays off and they end up gaining control. This is why weeds need to be dealt with. This can be difficult to achieve as weeds tend to produce a lot of seeds which can often survive for long periods underground. Weeds also spread easily and are quite happy growing in areas where heavy human activity takes place.
How to get rid of weeds
It may be difficult to get rid of weeds, but it’s not impossible. You can invest in an organic herbicide which will help you to do the job. However, you need to be careful about using it around plants. According to Wikilawn,
“Look for applications that allow you to control the distribution of the herbicide so that you do not unintentionally damage or kill your desirable plants that may be near the bunch of weeds.”
You can learn more about weeds here.
There are also do it yourself methods that you can use to try and prevent, or dispose of, weeds.
- Pull the weeds up by the roots. This can be difficult to do with weeds like dandelions. It takes patience to make sure that you get the entire root system.
- Use layers of newspaper, or old pieces of carpet, covered in mulch, to prevent weeds from growing.
- White vinegar has many uses around the home. One of them is that the acetic acid it contains can kill plant leaves. Of course, this means that you have to be careful when using vinegar to kill weeds, so that you do not end up killing your plants as well.
- Something as simple as boiling water can help to kill weeds that are growing in your drive or patio area. It burns the weeds up. However, it can also damage plants and grass, so it needs to be used carefully.
Weeds are an unwelcome invader in many yards. You need to do all that you can to stop them appearing and once they are there, you should deal with them as soon as possible.
