Weeding
Everyone’s favorite task! What’s that? No one likes weeding? Well, all the more reason to pay attention to Tidy Garden Tip #1: Mulch. In life, however, weeds will happen even if we take preventative steps, so here a few tricks for making the joyous task of weeding a little bit easier.
#1 Know your weeds! Not all weeds are created equal – some are crooks and others are super villains. If you don’t have time for a thorough weeding at least make a quick sweep for the biggest troublemakers. You’re better off taking care of them when they’re small.
Here’s a lineup of my Rogue’s Gallery:
Canada Thistle. Dig this out – get as much root mass as possible!
Stinging Nettle – beware this one bites!
Creeping Charlie – not just a lawn weed. This one will take over your garden. A broadleaf weedspray treatment in the early spring can help to keep Creeping Charlie at bay.
Dandelions – we’re all familiar with these, right? Dandelions are a bi-annual weed, which means they bloom in the spring and in the fall. If you are looking for a more permanent solution to despair caused due to dandies, we recommend a minimum of one weed spray treatment in the spring and another treatment in the fall.
Garlic Mustard – this one stinks! It will also poison the soil for your other plants if you let it grow for a few years so remove it right away!
#2 Choose your time wisely! Get to those weeds before they start making seeds. If you let them drop their seeds then you are guaranteeing a bumper crop of weeds again next year. Weeds pull up better when the soil is moist. Either go after a rain storm or water your garden the night before you plan to weed.
Pssst! Looking for more tips on keeping a tidy garden? You may also be interested in these posts: