Garden Weed Control

Weeds are a pain in the neck. There is simply no way around it. Of course, they compete with desirable plants, robbing them of light, water and nutrients. That alone is reason enough to get rid of them. But the real problem with weeds is that they look terrible. They clog the straight rows of vegetable and flower beds, mess up new planting of ground covers, and find every crack and crevice in walkways, paths and driveways. No doubt about it, weeds threaten the very order of your garden and landscape.

But like most threats, weeds can be dealt with. Here are the best ways to prevent and eliminate weeds in your garden and yard.

Cultivate often. Use a trowel, hoe or other garden implement to turn the soil, uprooting young weeds and exposing their roots.

Plant closely. Planting vegetables and flowers close together will help them shade-out weed seedlings.

Pull by hand. This time-honored solution can be remarkably effective if you keep at it. Just make sure to get all the roots.

Mulch. A thick layer of organic mulch, like compost or ground bark, will smother weed seeds, preventing young plants from reaching the surface. Weeds that do get through will be easier to pull.

Use landscape fabric. Landscape fabrics are cloth-like materials that are permeable to water but smother weeds. Roll them out before planting ground covers, roses or other landscape plants, cutting X's to plant through. Then cover the fabric with organic mulch to make it look more natural. Landscape fabrics are also a good choice to use under gravel or stone ground covers.

Use Bayer Advanced™ PowerForce® Grass & Weed Killer Concentrate (product discontinued). Some weeds, like annual bluegrass, clover, crabgrass and so many more, are tough to control by mechanical means. Besides, most of the methods mentioned above take time, which many of us don't have. Bayer Advanced™ PowerForce® Grass & Weed Killer Concentrate (product discontinued) quickly knocks out weeds to the roots so they don't come back. It can be used on and around walkways, driveways and patios, in flower, vegetable and herb gardens, and around fences, buildings, trees and shrubs. It even kills tough woody weeds like poison oak, poison ivy and blackberry. As always, read the label carefully before using.