Question. Tired of flower and mulch beds taking over your home?
Do you ever ask yourself “How can I do a better job controlling weeds in my flower beds?” If so you’re certainly not alone. Controlling weeds in our flower beds and around our landscaping can be a never-ending nightmare right? Mulching yearly, using weed mats, and even using pre-emergent products can reduce hand weeding, but even after all that work breakthrough of unwanted weeds and vegetation is seemingly inevitable. This problem is okay for those homeowners who love spending time in their gardens or have the time to manicure their home’s exteriors, but for some who simply do not have time or desire to deal with hand weeding a few times a week, there are solutions that won’t break the bank.
It can cost as little as $200.00 a year to cover the cost to treat most mulch bed areas every time your lawn technician fertilizes your lawn. This gives a perfectly manicured look to your property without paying a landscaper a weekly fee. This option is typically not for folks that are gardeners with lots of precious perennials and timed bulbs blooming in every season. Commercial weed control products can damage underground bulbs and roots systems that are not marked. However, for simple landscapes with open mulch areas, you cannot beat the price to free up time and increase curb appeal.
DIY Tips to Reduce Weeds
- Install a biodegradable weed mat or newspaper layer before landscaping.
- Ligthly mulch every year with clean mulch free of seeds and fungus
- Don’t over mulch! This creates moisture and decay of the mulch there by creating a seed bed for weeds.
- Get a pre-emergent down so that seeds that blow in to your beds can not germinate
- Be vigilant; the more often you weed the less spreading of unwanted vegetation- never allow weeds to go to seed.
- Get the WHOLE weed: In most cases, pulling off the top of a weed will not kill it. You must get the whole root.
- Maintain your plants and keep them fertilized and pruned, a healthy landscape will naturally deter weeds.
- Apply a post-emergent weed control such as roundup or for those looking to go fully organic look into a vinegar/salt/dishsoap option to control unwanted weeds down to the roots
Having a beautiful landscape and curb appeal takes a lot of work, but it can be a rewarding and relaxing hobby for many homeowners. If yard work is NOT satisfying or fulfilling to you it may be worth it to let professionals tune up those weeds and keep an eye on your trees and shrubs so you can enjoy your free time in your own way.
