Effective methods of weed control: how to get rid of them?

Chemical methods

The use of chemicals (herbicides) by modern gardeners is quite common. I also sometimes resort to their use, since they have their undeniable advantages:

• quickly eliminate weeds;
• take a minimum of time and effort;
• have a long-term effect.

However, it is necessary to choose chemicals with great care, depending on the type of weeds on the site that you plan to fight.

What herbicides can be used:

• Continuous action, affecting all plants (weeds and crops). Among them: “Imazapyr”, “Gifosat”, “Tornado”, etc. Their disadvantage is that they can leave the entire site without vegetation.
• Selective action. They only destroy weeds and do not affect cultivated plants. These are the preparations: “Lazurit”, “Fusilade” and others.
• Contact. They act on the surface of the earth.
• Systemic. The active substances penetrate to the roots of plants, causing the death of the root system.

Important! To avoid negative results from using herbicides, you must follow the instructions.

I believe that using herbicides is only advisable on large areas, since many of them are highly toxic, harm crops and require material costs.

Digging

I’m unlikely to be mistaken if I call digging one of the common methods of weed control. In the process of this work, weeds are either completely uprooted, or their root system is damaged, and they are not revived.

Thanks to digging, the growth of weeds slows down, over time there are almost none left. To increase the efficiency of this method, I recommend using a pitchfork instead of a shovel. This will help completely eradicate the weed. Digging can be done by anyone, but it takes a lot of effort, which you need to be prepared for.

Weeding

Yes, this method is probably the most common among summer residents. I can say that it only gives an effect for a while. Soon the grass will appear on the surface of the earth again. Therefore, to achieve results, it is important to do this work regularly.

Green manure

Grass always appears in empty areas of the garden, so to prevent its appearance, the voids are sown with green manure plants (rye, oats, buckwheat, phacelia, mustard, sunflower, peas, beans, etc.).

Green manure not only suppresses weeds, but also has many other useful functions: it saturates the soil with oxygen, enriches its composition and characteristics, acts as natural fertilizers, and destroys pathogenic bacteria. This method of weed control is suitable for all summer residents, as it is simple and effective.

Burning

Burning is carried out before the first shoots appear. All grass on the site is burned with a blowtorch. The burned areas are watered. This method gives good results, but requires caution and is time-consuming.

Attention! This work should be done in calm weather, otherwise burning can lead to a fire.

Exhaustion

This method involves regularly cutting off the tops of weeds until the root system is completely exhausted. The work requires regularity and patience.

Mulching

The soil is covered with a material that does not let light through: black film, straw, dry leaves, cardboard, pine needles, etc. Due to lack of sunlight, plants die.

Soda

From my own experience, I have found that soda is an excellent means of combating weeds. To prepare the solution, dissolve 5 tbsp. soda in 1 liter of warm water. You should water young grass with the soda solution, as it will not work on adult weeds.

Attention! The shelf life of this product is 2-3 hours.

Vinegar

It will help to deal with any weeds, you just need to prepare the solution correctly. Dilute 3 cups of 9% vinegar in 10 liters of water. Spray the weeds with the resulting solution in early spring and mid-autumn.

Important! It is necessary to spray the vinegar solution carefully so that it does not get on nearby cultivated plants, which can also suffer from it.

Herbicide Soap

I make my own herbicide soap by mixing the following ingredients:

• 2 cups of water;
• 2 cups of 9% vinegar;
• 2 cups of any available hard soap, grated.

The solution is infused for 2 hours, after which it is poured into a spray bottle. I generously spray the weeds with herbicide soap.

Boiling water

I am skeptical about this method of weed control, since it does not help immediately, but requires repeated actions (up to 5 times). However, many gardeners like it. To eliminate a weed, simply pour boiling water over it until it is completely destroyed.

Alcohol

To prepare the solution, mix alcohol with water in a ratio of 1:10. Water the weeds with the resulting mixture. Experienced gardeners speak positively of this method. It does not harm cultivated plants, but removes weeds.

Salt

Dissolve 2.5 kg of salt in 20 liters of water. Water the weeds with the resulting solution. Despite its effectiveness, this method has a significant disadvantage – the soil after such treatment becomes unsuitable for growing crops. Therefore, you can use a saline solution in places where you do not plan to plant.

All gardeners are forced to fight weeds. You can’t give up in this matter, otherwise they will soon take over the entire territory. To prevent this from happening, start acting immediately after they are discovered. Choose the best way to eliminate weeds for yourself and get started.