We are in war. Not a political war, although there is that. Not a moral war, however that is an important one. No, I’m talking about an ongoing battle we have been waging since the beginning of time; the war against our worst invaders–weeds!
In the Bible the Lord tells Adam “Cursed is the ground for thy sake… Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee.” (Genesis 3: 17-18) I guess he wasn’t kidding! Here in Utah sometimes the ground feels extra cursed. And I can’t tell you how many times thorns and thistles have been brought forth to me, usually right into my thumb.
So is there a solution short of The Millenium? Not a permanent one. But that doesn’t mean we can’t prevail.
“Know Thine Enemy,” or so they say, so here are our main attackers:
Broadleaf Plantain
Chickweed
Crabgrass
Dandelion
Field Bindweed
Knotweed
Oxalis (Clover)
Puncture Vine
Purslane
Shepherd's Purse
Spurge
Thistle
(I’m getting all worked up and angry just looking at the little buggers)
Their mission: To take over our land. Weeds are simply looking for more territory to live in. Why not just live peaceably side-by-side with them? Well, besides the fact that they are a unsightly, weeds will use up the valuable resources–nutrients, water, sometimes even sunlight–that our own plants desperately need.
Do a few of these little intruders really bother anything? There is a saying that “One year’s seeding will give you seven years of weeding.” Don’t forget that these are living things and thus, they reproduce. If you let the enemy infiltrate, it will set up camp and eventually take over. Not only that, the plant will send out more little soldiers into your neighbors yard. If you neighbor is a gardener, believe me, they have located the source of the problem and are holding a secret grudge against you.
So what is the plan of attack? Well, there are several methods, each with their own pros and cons:
1. Hand-to-hand Combat Simply stated, pull the little buggers out. A dandelion weeder makes this much easier for all but crabgrass and field bindweed. Pro: It’s free and, if you get the whole root out, quite effective. Con: If you have very many weeds, your back, knees, and hands may give out long before the job is done.
2. Weaponed Attack As mentioned before, a dandelion weeder is a great tool for getting those deep roots out. For weeds in lawns, I like the Weed Hound found here. For seedings the weapon of choice may be the classic hoe. Pro: like hand-to-hand combat it’s quite effective. The cost is fairly minimal as well. Con: If there are too many weeds, this plan of attack can be a bit time consuming.
3. Chemical Warfare There are many types of weed killers, or herbicides, on the market. There is a whole science behind them that would take another article to explain. But here’s the simple rundown: A pre-emergent, such as Preen, is applied to the soil before the seedling emerges and prevent germination or early growth of weed seeds. Post-emergents are used on plants that have already germinated and begun growing. Some post-emergents are selective, meaning they only kill certain types of plants. Weed-be-gone is one brand of selective herbicide that only kills broadleaf plants, but is safe to grasses–perfect for lawns. Other weed killers are non-selective, meaning they kill EVERYTHING. Ask at your nursery or garden center which herbicide is best for your intruders (bring in a sampling, if you wish). Pro: Quick and easy. Con: A treatment will leave chemicals in the soil which can be harmful to children and pets (not to mention Mother Earth). Buying enough weed killer for a larger area can get quite expensive. And the most important con: If the chemical kills a weed, it will kill a valuable plant as well. Apply cautiously, making sure to spray only the weed. For some weeds (especially field bindweed) it is helpful to cut the bottom off of an old milk jug, pull the offending weed through the original, smaller opening, and spray the weed through the large hole you just made. The milk jugs sides will prevent the spray from splattering onto nearby plants.
4. Torture (hee hee) Poor some boiling water on the bugger and just see how it likes it! Another method is to use a flame-weeder. This is an attachment for a propane tank, found here, that literally makes a flame so hot that it destroys the cell structure of the plant. Pro: Boiling water is free and and both are somewhat theraputic. Con: It hard to keep the scalding water from reaching your beloved plants so this method is best used for weeds in the cracks of sidewalks and driveways only. A flame weeder also runs the risk of burning nearby plants. It is most useful for large areas containing only weeds such as near an irrigation ditch.
5. Fortification In other words, prevention. Basically you just cover the soil so seeds and sunlight can’t get in. A mulch material spread over the area can be quite effective for this by itself. But even more effective is to place a weed barrier on the soil, then cover it with a mulch. Purchased landscape fabric is a great, although not so economical, weed barrier for just about anywhere. The fabric is flexible and lets water and air pass though to the soil. Multiple layers of wet newspaper covered in mulch are a handy barrier as well. They will block sunlight from the weeds for a season, then decompose enough to be turned into the soil. A single layer of plastic sheeting is a useful over hot-weather plants like tomatoes and pumpkins, but should not be covered with any other mulch so that it can be removed easily. Sunlight will cause plastic to eventually become brittle. For under pathways, try old carpet pieces turned upside down. Be aware, some weeds will still find a way to break through your fortress so be prepared to spot them immediately and ATTACK!
With so many methods of battle you would think the war should be easily won. Unfortunately the Earth is riddled with more than a trillion “sleeper cells” (seeds) just waiting for the right conditions to spring into action. And so, the war continues. But don’t give up! Every battle you win will make the garden a “safer” and more beautiful place for our plants to live.
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