FULL OF INSANE GRASS!! NEED it to GO AWAY!!!!
by
Tyler S
+20
I need some help!
I wanted to put more space around the garden for the bench I painted.. (I posted the picture on here) but grass is driving me nuts. It kept growing in it everyday. There is absoluteness of no way getting rid of it or stop it from growing. What can I do? I may need to pull them out but thats a ton of work. Is there any other ways? Like a chemical that will kills the grass but not the plants? HELP!!!
I wanted to put more space around the garden for the bench I painted.. (I posted the picture on here) but grass is driving me nuts. It kept growing in it everyday. There is absoluteness of no way getting rid of it or stop it from growing. What can I do? I may need to pull them out but thats a ton of work. Is there any other ways? Like a chemical that will kills the grass but not the plants? HELP!!!
My garden
23 answers
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Sorry Tyler, but as tight as the plants are to the undesirables it looks like weeding is the best way. You can (IF YOU ARE CAREFUL) use a small foam applicator dipped into concentrated mix of weed like such as RoundUP and carefully apply the chemical by brushing it on. If you are hand weeding I recommend a really good soaking to encourage the roots to let go of the soil. good luck and let us know how it goes. I am feeling your pain though. I am running on my marque " Pull Weeds for 15 minutes in the nursery for discount."
360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Jul 20, 2012
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Tyler, I know the feeling. I just got done hand pulling tons of weeds from my garden beds. The worst bed is about 20'x5' - and had a LOT of weeds because I didn't take necessary steps to prevent them. Here's the key: put down mulch. I didn't mulch my backyard beds and the weeds went nuts. You might also use Preen after you pull up the weeds to prevent weed seeds from sprouting. It is a pre-emergent so no seeds will grow.
Vivian S
on Jul 20, 2012
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Oh...be sure to post the "after" picture so we can oooh and ahhh all your effort :-)
Vivian S
on Jul 20, 2012
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There was a post a few days ago about how to edge a garden. This method of edging will keep the roots from the lawn moving into the garden which is why you can never seem to stop the weeds from growing. http://www.hometalk.com/search?filter=garden+edge&search=&zipcode=#!/459861
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Jul 20, 2012
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Vivian have you tried Preen? We did recently and it did nothing. We were very disappointed in it. I saw that posting Woodbridge and plan on trying that this fall. Too hot to get out there and do all that work now.
Z
on Jul 20, 2012
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Tyler, sometimes a flower bed gets in such a mess the only thing you can do is start over. With the extreme hot weather with no rain that has been occurring around the country, this might be a project best under taken on in late summer or early fall...or even next spring. Put out pre-emergence in Feb/early March. I suggest you take out plants you wish to save and set them aside under shade (remember to keep watered). Make sure you strip out all the weeds. Then spray the entire bed with Roundup. If you do not want to use chemicals, you can cover the infected area in clear plastic sheeting, weighted with rocks to hold in place. This will kill everything. Bushes too large to move, do not cover or spray. Before you replant, put in some mulch...making sure it is treated for termites. (Be careful about using vinegar or salt to kill weeds. You have to put in lime if vinegar is used to bring the ph back into balance, but with salt I dont know what to do to neutralize it!)
Jeanette S
on Jul 21, 2012
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Tyler, I think with a good afternoon of weeding you could have your garden back in shape. Then mulch with a good finely ground hardwood mulch. @Becky. This is entirely the wrong time of year to use Preen. It is a pre-emergent, which means it suppresses germination but has no effect on weeds that are already growing. Where you are, a good rule of thumb is to apply it when the forsythia are blooming.
Douglas Hunt
on Jul 21, 2012
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Thanks Douglas. We were told it would keep more from coming up after weeding. We have some left so maybe we'll try again next year.
Z
on Jul 21, 2012
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have you considered tilling & mulching? i tilled, raked & used about 100 lbs of newspapers & covered with mulch.
Elisabeth R
on Jul 21, 2012
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Becky, yes, I have tried Preen and liked it, but because it is a pre-emergent it works best to put it down early in spring to prevent seeds from sprouting and to apply again every 6 or 8 weeks. I put it on my garden after I weed to prevent seeds from sprouting. It won't control anything that is already sprouted so it doesn't get rid of weeds. Another thing to consider is that it will prevent all seeds from sprouting so desirable seeds won't sprout either.
Vivian S
on Jul 21, 2012
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Thanks Vivian. I talked to my hubby about it this afternoon and he said he noticed that there's less growth of new weeds than there was before he used it. So I guess that's good. What we really need to do is cut the tree trunks we're going to use all over the area, then weed and add ground cover before the weeds get growing again. We've just not had the time. Too many other projects.
Z
on Jul 21, 2012
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The thing about weeds is that wind spreads weed seeds from your neighbors' yards into yours, so weeding is a never ending battle. One of your best defenses is to make sure you put out the right things at the right time, i.e., Preen (pre-emergence) in early spring and put in mulch. (A thick lay of newspaper under a thin layer of mulch is less costly than 4" of mulch) If you are oppoed to any kind of chemical, then you have to develop a strong back and patience to pull weeds. You will never win the battle against weeds...you can only hope to stun this enemy and beat it back!!!! Forward March Weed Warriors!!!!
Jeanette S
on Jul 22, 2012
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Yes, Jeanette. My arms are really feeling it! After pulling the weeds from 4 gardens, I made the mistake of deciding to re-caulk the bathtub. I assume I'll be able to move again. At least I am warding off flabby arms :-)
Vivian S
on Jul 22, 2012
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Wow! These are wonderful advice!! I am learning a lot. I think Newspaper is actually not a bad idea and I could do it now! hahah. Isn't preen a little too late? What I try with plastic and leaves the holes for plants. There might be some weed growing through, but not bad as the picture. It would be wonderful if I get it done before fall because I don't want it more growing in next spring! HECK NO! That is not happening. hahah. I have like a ton of plastic, but would that help to stop the weed from growing through? I might have to take out the weed first, then plastic over it when I am done, then replant the plants, so I can put the pretty bench there? :D
Tyler S
on Jul 22, 2012
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I also thinking to take out that huge bushes.. its like ugly and huge! Plus, its blocking the sun from the plants!
Tyler S
on Jul 22, 2012
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Tyler, there is a weed preventing mesh type fabric that does not impeed water getting through to your plants as does plastic. Plastic can be use to kill weeds, but not left in place. Here in Georgia, Preen is used in mid to late February...so that would make its use in Michigan about mid March. As for the bush...take it OUT! Do not put a lot of work into a garden area and leave an eyesore in place.
Jeanette S
on Jul 23, 2012
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Do you know what the bush is? It may look better with some judicious pruning and a tidying up of the area around it. I don't even like landscape cloth in situations like this, but you should certainly non use a non-porous plastic.
Douglas Hunt
on Jul 23, 2012
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Plastic will not let water through to the plants while the cloth will...???? That bush is leafed all the way down an is not scruffy looking but it would look better with a slight trim (do not go overboard all at once!). But if it does not fit in with your overall plan, does not floower, then take it out. Keep in mind that decorative grasses which survive dry weather and even different colors of greens can be pretty. Space your plantings some distance so you can get in to pull weeds. And spring/summer color can be added with pots. There are many plastic pots and other fibers that are stunning and easier to handle when filled with soil than the heavy, very expensive ceramic pots. The budget goes a lot further too. This makes for easier watering and care. Remember, it does not take a lot of color to be pretty. The heat, drought & bugs has caused me to put my efforts into pot gardening. Here are a couple of photos taken just a few minutes ago. Note the vines....3 small 97 cent plants have thrived! Vines make pots look exotic!
Jeanette S
on Jul 24, 2012
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Photos won't post?????
Jeanette S
on Jul 24, 2012
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Others are having trouble posting photos too Jeanette. Some sort of bug I would guess.
Z
on Jul 24, 2012
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Tyler, I am posting the photo I took yesterday to show you a pot with a couple of draping plants and a vine now that it has matured over the summer. This is not a large pot so if you had one this size in your garden for accent, you could elevate it by sitting in on something like a painted concrete block. I do not know the name of these, but I will have them every year from now on and I will save the name tag. (I went back to photo taken early in summer and could not believe how dirty the steps have gotten...dirt spills out of the pots when it rains and the wet we have had for a couple of weeks is keeping it dirty looking...time to get out the bleach and a stiff brush....will do that as soon as it is not mid 90s!)
Jeanette S
on Jul 25, 2012
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Oh, that is pretty.. but I will definitely think of that soon as possible! Its a good idea. Thank you for those wonderful advice!
Tyler S
on Aug 17, 2012
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I know this is an old post, but in case people are still running across it, as I did, I am adding my 2 cent's worth. 1 - If willing to weed your bed. Water the area thoroughly so that weeding is easy. Pull the weeds out, starting with the largest ones first. Keep going to the point of pondering laying asphalt over the entire yard. Make sure you DO weed around your wanted plants completely, give them at least a 6" space to breathe with no weeds. Use a cultivator tool to agitate the small weeds' roots from the soil, being careful not to damage the roots of your wanted plants. Let that dry out so the weeds die. Repeat this a couple of times over the week as the weed seeds sprout - especially if any water or rain falls on the bed. Bring in a 4 to 6 in layer of mulch to lay thickly over the entire bed. For added oomph, lay down scrap newspaper or cardboard first to really block those weeds. 2. If not willing to do any weeding. Mow or trim the weeds as low as you can get them. Lay down something heavy to smother them, such as cardboard or black tarp and weight it down until them die off. You will need to keep working at this, as the weeds do come back. 3. Rip it all out. Till it. Lay down cardboard and mulch. Replant the entire bed.
Valerie
on Jun 25, 2016
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