How to Get Rid of Weeds Naturally in the New Year

Weeds are pernicious, popping out of sidewalk cracks and holes in landscape fabric as an unsightly eyesore. Given their ability to spread like wildfire, it’s better to get a head start and begin your weeding early in the year. Before you reach for chemical herbicides, however, consider these natural methods to remove weeds. 

 

Don’t Attack Every Weed

Not all ‘weeds’ are bad. Just as some gardeners will tolerate an unkempt head of hair, they may feel that a thorough weeding is not necessary. Even the most fastidious gardeners will have to accept that an entirely weed-free garden is not possible. So-called weeds such as buttercups and dandelions are less nuisances than a scraggly form of adornment on an otherwise barren lawn. Weeds are also biological indicators of good soil health, acting as insectary (a nursery for beneficial insects) and enhancing biodiversity. It’s okay to tolerate a few pretty weeds – and maybe even appreciate their tenacity. 


When should I weed the garden?    

You can weed your garden anytime of the year, except during times of frost. Spring and early summer are ideal times to weed, especially after rain when the soil is less compacted. It’s recommended that you weed early in the morning or afternoon to avoid scorching sun during the summer months. Regularly inspect your garden for any weeds and tidy up any debris after each growing season. 


How can I get rid of perennial weeds?  

For a more targeted approach, it can be helpful to identify which weeds are in your garden. Perennial weeds are much more persistent than annual weeds and require more stringent methods to get rid of – their extensive system of taproots ensures that they can linger in the ground for years. Landscape fabric may smother a few, but to completely eradicate perennial weeds, the entire root ball will need to be dug out. 


Should I pour salt or vinegar on weeds?

Salt is not recommended as it can leach into the soil, rendering it nonviable for years. Agricultural vinegar is also strongly caustic and can cause burns, so avoid it if you're a beginner. While a vinegar and soap solution can suffice for irksome sidewalk weeds where nothing else grows, it’s best not to pour it into your garden beds.  



Chemical-Free Methods to Get Rid of Weeds


1.  Chop Off Weeds with a Hori Hori Knife  

Pulling out weeds by hand continues to be a reliable method of systematically ridding your garden of them – every time you spy a weed, pull it out. Although many gardeners eschew this task, it can be surprisingly relaxing and therapeutic to manually remove weeds by hand. 

One of the best hand-weeding tools is a hori hori knife, or Japanese gardening knife, which attacks weed roots entrenched deep within the compacted earth. An extremely versatile tool, its angled blade allows for the multipurpose function of both digging into the dirt and chopping off weed heads. If you’re feeling lazy, lopping off weed heads before they go to seed can prevent them from spreading. In addition to dealing with weeds, it’s also equipped with a ruler and wrench holes for easy assembly of raised garden beds. 

How to Get Rid of Weeds Naturally in the New Year

2. Cover Weeds with Mulch, Landscape Fabric, or Cardboard    

The quickest way to get rid of large swaths of weeds is to deprive them of light – a practice known as ‘sheet mulching.’ Whenever you’re working on eradicating a particular area, cover it with a layer of wet cardboard, then add mulch or compost if you want to begin planting right away. Look for plain cardboard with a minimal amount of ink and tape. Although this may not eliminate perennial weeds in the long run, it’s a quick, easy solution to destroy the majority of culprits during the growing season.  


3. Use Raised Garden Beds for No-Till Gardening 

Minimize soil disruption by investing in raised garden beds – combine with cardboard for effective weed suppression. In raised garden beds, plants are able to be planted closer together due to more room allocated for plant roots, crowding out weeds that are seeking to infiltrate. The elevated sides of raised beds also facilitate weeding by significantly reducing the need to bend over – the 32" garden beds are perfect for gardeners who experience back problems. 


4. Grow Cover Crops 

Cover crops such as wheatgrass, clover and barley can also stifle weeds more than they are often given credit for. By reducing the amount of open space, they vigorously outcompete weeds, preventing them from gaining a foothold. Cover crops also help reinvigorate the soil, control soil erosion, and can be returned to the soil as compost. 


5. Seal with Polymeric Sand   

A few scattered weeds in the garden are tolerable, but weed infestations through paver joints are much unappealing. Gardeners at war with weeds on the patio may want to consider polymeric sand. Composed of fine sand particles and used to fill the cracks between pavers, polymeric sand may also act as a weed deterrent. The additives in polymeric sand bind together to strengthen the paver foundation, prolonging the durability of the installation. This also prevents weeds and insects from slipping through the cracks. Learn how to apply polymeric sand to an existing patio here


6. Boiling Water

Boiling water works best on small, shallow-rooted weeds that grow between the cracks in the concrete; more stubborn weeds like crabgrass seem to be immune to it. Heat up the kettle, then carry it out and pour the scalding water on these weeds.