How to get 3' high weeds out of garden and keep them out?!!

Grandma C.
by Grandma C.

Because my husband has cancer, the garden is full of 3' high weeds. What's the best way to get rid of them, and keep them out?!!!

  7 answers
  • mulching is a fairly easy and cheap way. mulch with last year's hay which is cheaper or last year's straw; whichever is cheaper in your area.

  • William William on Jul 21, 2018

    You need to pull them out, rake any out any debri. Lay down some landscape fabric to stop weed growth. Sorry to hear about your hubby.

  • Cyrilla Bender Cyrilla Bender on Jul 21, 2018

    We started using that black roll of stuff you lay down after deweeding the garden. But within a yr or so weeds came up through it. So we started using trash bags. They say it makes the soil sour. Well I'm here to tell ya, I have done it for over 30 yrs an never smelled anything sour or plants dyeing due to it. Use your money on stuff you can see an enjoy!!!

  • Oliva Oliva on Jul 21, 2018

    If your garden has annual plants whuch are done for the season,cover the entire area with black plastic, weighted down with rocks. Sun should kill weed seeds in 30 days. Plant through plastic, nect year, making some holes for water and air to enter. Mulch the top layer.

    If you're speaking of non-edibles, remove existing weeds. Apply Preen weed killing granules between shrubs and blooming perennials, then mulch.

  • Tanne Tanne on Jul 24, 2018

    Spray with round-up. Buy at lowes, home depot or walmart. It kills weeds fast. Spray only where you want it to kill for it also kills grass.

  • Joy Elizabeth Joy Elizabeth on Jul 24, 2018

    Preen helps keep weeds from taking hold also. Once you pull the existing weeds and mulch, you can apply this to the soil and it acts as a preemergent to keep weed seeds from sprouting.

  • Sharon Sharon on Jul 24, 2018

    You don't state where the weeds are? lawn? alley? driveway? etc. Nothing will permanently remove weeds.

    When I moved into this old house, the grass was a couple feet high, so I mowed it tilting the mower up and bringing it down on the grass. Then I used Scotts Weed n Feed on the lawn to rid it of all the weeds, which also makes the grass thicker. If this all sounds like too much work hire a landscaping service - you can find them at all prices. Since I now have tendonitis in both feet and achilles I got a lawn service who comes every 2 weeks and I pay $37 for my acre and they also weed whack the perimeter along fence, and the long driveway. If you want to do it yourself, you might consider getting a mower that has a self-drive and you steer.

    You can also use a weed whacker if you have one.... I got myself an electric one cause with my bad shoulders I can hold it up longer - get yourself 50' extension cord, wear goggles, gloves, long pants and long sleeves. Got 2 new ones for $20 each at Habitat for Humanity for me and my client.

    This will work along driveway and in alley too. If you want to clean out your flower beds, the weed whacker makes fast work of it or you can hoe between the plants. Adding newspaper/landscape fabric and bark mulch in your beds around the plants will keep down the weeds, and require less watering.

    You could also call around some churches who have volunteers and youth groups who do projects for seniors, disabled and the ill. This time of year, a lot of it is gardens gone wild.