topic Re: Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants in Garden

Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants

RinaRina — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 14:02:15 GMT

I keep pulling the weeds and they keep growing back .. sometimes in a different places.

* I need SUGGESTIONS .... *

What should I put around my outdoor plants to keep the weeds covered, so they get no sun and die?

Re: Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants

ValuSkr — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 14:23:49 GMT

Make sure you pull up the whole weed, including the roots. And keep at it during the summer so weeds don't flower & go to seed.

Some people used Preen to prevent weeds; it keeps seed from germinating.

If you really don't like weeding, you could put down landscape fabric, poking holes in the fabric where you have plants - annuals, perennials, shrubs, etc. Then cover with mulch. I did this for a relative once, but I really don't recommend it. It's a lot of work and who wants to put all that plastic in the ground.

Re: Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants

jlkz — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 14:35:45 GMT

@ValuSkr

@RinaRina

The black fiber that folks put down actually hampers normal growth of shrubs and trees. My neighbor and I have seen the bad effects...test for yourself. Place a cup of water onto the fabric that is suspended over a bowl. Watch how long it takes the water to penetrate.

Then imagine what happens to mulch over time: it turns to dirt and further weighs down the fabric and coats it: even less water and nutrients get through.

Suggest googling the subject and talking to nursery professionals. We are taking up the problem fiber in our planting areas.

Re: Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants

Fressa — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 14:40:04 GMT

I use Preen after I weed. It works.

Re: Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants

RinaRina — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 16:19:25 GMT

@Fressa wrote:
I use Preen after I weed. It works.
===========================

Okay.
And it doesn't affect the shrubs?

Re: Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants

Puppy Lips — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 16:26:19 GMT

@jlkz wrote:
@ValuSkr
@RinaRina

The black fiber that folks put down actually hampers normal growth of shrubs and trees. My neighbor and I have seen the bad effects...test for yourself. Place a cup of water onto the fabric that is suspended over a bowl. Watch how long it takes the water to penetrate.

Then imagine what happens to mulch over time: it turns to dirt and further weighs down the fabric and coats it: even less water and nutrients get through.

Suggest googling the subject and talking to nursery professionals. We are taking up the problem fiber in our planting areas.

My neighbor across the street has the most beautiful yard - front and back. She is always working in it and her plants are gorgeous. Last fall she helped me redo the landscaping in front of our house. We had previously put down that black weed cloth. She absolutely hates that stuff and actually pulled it all out for us (while we weren't even home, LOL.) Anyway, the front of my house looks much better now, thanks to her. My husband uses a spray to kill the weeds that pop up.

Re: Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants

ValuSkr — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 16:32:26 GMT

@jlkz wrote:
@ValuSkr
@RinaRina

The black fiber that folks put down actually hampers normal growth of shrubs and trees. My neighbor and I have seen the bad effects...test for yourself. Place a cup of water onto the fabric that is suspended over a bowl. Watch how long it takes the water to penetrate.

Then imagine what happens to mulch over time: it turns to dirt and further weighs down the fabric and coats it: even less water and nutrients get through.

Suggest googling the subject and talking to nursery professionals. We are taking up the problem fiber in our planting areas.

I don't recommend the landscape fabric, and would never use it in my own gardens. I couldn't believe my relative wanted to use it. But she had a big problem with mint - and other perennial weeds - run amok. She's not a gardener and is very busy with other things in her life.

Re: Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants

HLP — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 21:26:28 GMT

@RinaRina wrote:
@Fressa wrote:
I use Preen after I weed. It works.
===========================

Okay.
And it doesn't affect the shrubs?

No it doesn't, also good for cracks in patio,or sidewalk

Re: Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants

JustJazzmom — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 22:36:22 GMT

The Extention Service is using landscape fabric in its garden walkways before putting down the bluestone pebbles. Hopefully this will be an effective seed block in the walkways. We have never put it around our plants.

Re: Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants

RinaRina — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 13:09:31 GMT

Ugh!

I posted the inquiry a month ago.

My memory is bad!

I came back here this morning to see what I should do AFTER I've put down the landscape fabric ... and the posts say DON'T use it!

I'd bought both - landscape fabaric and Pren, but was afraid the Preen might kill the plants, so, I didn't use yet.

Some of you posted your dislike of the fabric but didn't state why.

i.e, "she hates the stuff" ... because?

Re: Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants

Lilysmom — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 20:27:32 GMT

@RinaRina et al, if you are going to garden, you have to deal with weeds. Whether you lay landscape cloth down or anything else, they will still come. Fact of life.

IMO the best way to deal with it is to stay on top of it or you can become overwhelmed. No magic bullet. It is what it is. LM

Re: Weeds in the Garden around Outdoor Plants

Icegoddess — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 20:38:15 GMT

@RinaRina, as I told somone on another post today about weeds, you can lay down newspaper or cardboard before adding mulch. I save all my larger mail order boxes for that. You'll still end up with some weeds growing in the mulch from bird droppings, but at least they are easy to pull up root and all.

As far as Preen goes, it won't hurt your plants. It only stops seeds from germinating.