Simple Hacks to Keep Weeds out of Your Garden

Now that you know how to remove weeds from your lawn and landscape, learning to keep them from growing in your garden is the next best step to keeping your landscape looking its best. Here are some great hacks we have to offer at Custom Taylor’d Lawn & Landscape in Springfield, IL that will help you continue protecting the integrity of your outdoor property.

Utilize Mulch

There are many benefits to using mulch in your garden beds. Mulch will improve the quality of your soil while retaining more moisture, which means you don’t have to water your plants as often. It allows water and air to move better through your soil and provides lots of much-needed nutrients to your plants and flowers. Mulch is also great for controlling weed growth. When you add an even layer of organic mulch two to three inches in depth, the ground of your garden beds will be kept cool and moist while also blocking light that weed seeds could use to germinate. Wood chips and grass clippings would work well. If you have any questions or want to invest in quality mulch for your garden, consult our team of experts at Custom Taylor’d Lawn & Landscape.

Use Newspaper

A great trick to help your garden is actually to use newspaper. If you want to prevent weeds from sprouting among your plants and flowers, we recommend that when you’re planting, you employ the process of layering pieces of newspaper in the soil. This forms a weed barrier that prevents weeds from forming, protects plants from soil-borne diseases, and allows plenty of moisture to reach your plants’ roots. The process involves alternating layers of newspaper and either dirt or mulch. Not to worry, the barrier is biodegradable. It will deny weeds sunlight but allow air and water to penetrate the soil to get to your plants. We advise placing ten sheets of newspaper for one layer, then soaking it thoroughly with a hose. After that, cover with a layer of dirt or mulch, and then repeat to make “lasagna layers!”

Grow Plants Close Together

Another trick to help your garden is a simple one: plant your flowers, vegetables, and other plants close together. Weeds thrive in the open spaces between plants that get a lot of sunlight, so the goal is to cut them off from that source. Allowing your plants to grow at the closest recommended spacing will prevent weeds from popping up in your garden bed. Instead of growing your plants in rows, consider using block spacing to eliminate the open spaces between the plants so weeds don’t sprout. If weeds form anywhere in your yard and you have trouble removing them, you can rely on our professionals to administer expert-level lawn care and landscaping services.

Remove Roots or Heads

When roots form, you want to ensure they don’t continue to grow back when you remove them. So first, dig deeply into the soil underneath the unwanted weed. Then, grab the weed close to the base and pull hard. If the soil is too rigid or you have trouble getting all of the roots out by this method, then another tactic you can try is to cut the head off the weed. This reduces the chance that it could reseed, limiting how far the weed can spread in your yard or garden. Whenever you need professional assistance with landscaping, contact our experts at Custom Taylor’d Lawn & Landscape by calling 217.306.4215.