Maybe you took a long vacation during the growing season or had a few busy weekends that kept you away from your garden. Whatever the reason, weeds can sprout up and spread so quickly that they overwhelm your beds in short order. Weeds are not only unsightly, they siphon water and nutrients away from the plants you want, and they often harbor pests that cause even more damage.
No matter how bad the beds look, you don’t have to surrender or go nuclear with toxic herbicides. With a few smart strategies and handy tools, you can restore the beauty and health of your garden for the rest of this season and take steps to prevent a recurrence in the future.
Moist Soil: Why It’s Easier to Weed When the Ground is Soft
When the ground is baked dry by the hot sun, weed roots cling to the soil and tend to break off as you’re trying to pull them. For many types of weeds, leaving the roots behind allows the plants to regrow and even multiply. Moistening the soil before you start removing the weeds loosens the roots’ grips and makes it easier for you to get them out completely. Take care, however, not to oversaturate the ground, especially if your garden soil is heavy clay, which holds water. Soggy soil clumps up and bonds to the roots, which increases the likelihood they break off before you can get them out.
Burpee’s Ergonomic 7 Pattern Hand Sprayer has just the right setting for dampening dry soil before you start weeding. Use the “shower” setting and the thumb-controlled flow regulator to give the ground a soaking that loosens weeds before you pull them.
Equip Yourself with the Right Tools
Clearing your overgrown garden is a lot easier if you have gear that’s designed for the job. When shopping for tools, look for durable materials and quality craftsmanship so they can stand up to tough weeds and last a lifetime. The best choices for you depend on the types of weeds and where you need to get at them.
- Raised Bed Hoe: In a raised vegetable bed, where you want to avoid stepping on the soil, you want a long-handled tool with a head that fits in-between plants.
- Wide Edge Chopping Hoe: Also known as the Weed Warrior, this tool takes down masses of weeds growing between rows, around shrubs, and in broad borders.
- Burpee Stainless Steel Weeder: The angled and forked head on this tool allows you to get under weeds with long taproots and lift them out of the ground.
- Hori Hori Gardening Knife: Has a tapered slicing edge, plus a deeply serrated edge for root cutting.
Break the Task into Manageable Steps
Cleaning up an overgrown garden doesn’t have to be an all-day, backbreaking assault. Instead, prioritize the problems and deal with them one-by-one.
Effective Weed-Removal Techniques
To get at weeds with long taproots, such as dandelions and pigweed, use a Long-Handled Fork or Spear Head Spade. When the plants are big, the root is likely to be long and entrenched in the soil. Dig around the plant first to loosen its grip, then gently lift it out.
Prioritize Your Plants and Mulch for Protection
After you clear your overgrown bed, water the soil thoroughly to revitalize the garden plants that have been competing with the weeds. Then cover the soil to protect them from new plant invaders.
Weed Shield is a thin plastic film that allows air and moisture to reach the soil through microscopic holes while blocking weeds from sprouting up.
Prevent Future Weed Infestations
Prevention is the best way to keep your garden from becoming overgrown next season. In perennial beds, Weed-X Premium Landscape Fabric blocks weeds from coming up while allowing air, water, and nutrients through to the plant roots.
Conclusion: Stay Consistent for a Weed-Free Garden
Any gardener can end up with an overgrown bed. But you can avoid the problem in the future with a little daily diligence. Walk around your garden each day and, while you’re admiring your handiwork, keep an eye out for weeds that have come up.
To keep your garden beds weed-free, stock up on the supplies experienced gardeners rely on.