Besides mulch to my existing perennial gardens, what should I use?

Barb Hookway
by Barb Hookway
Besides mulch to my existing perennial gardens, what should I use to keep the weeds down?

  9 answers
  • Nancy MacDonald Gross Nancy MacDonald Gross on Feb 19, 2018

    Last year I sprinkled "Preen" onto my beds in the spring. While it didn't eliminate weeds, I do think it reduced the number of weeds. In fact, depending on where you live, it might not be too early to start sprinkling this produce - glad you reminded me!

  • Mary J Cooper Mary J Cooper on Feb 19, 2018

    try newspaper And pine needles

  • 9889709 9889709 on Feb 19, 2018

    Mulching heavily is my favorite weed control and I usually mulch at a depth of at least 4 inches. For heavy weed problems, using a layer of the black landscape fabric is a big help. I prefer these more natural ways and definitely avoid the pesticide/roundup/chemical route!

  • 25593779 25593779 on Feb 19, 2018

    An organic way is corn meal gluten. It keeps seeds from sprouting. It won't work on existing weeds but will keep most new ones from sprouting.

  • Sherry Gee Sherry Gee on Feb 19, 2018

    when prepping the soil for planting try to remove the roots of all weeds. They may return they say hot boiling water poured on and around the weeds will kill them but would doe this prior to planting

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Feb 19, 2018

    newspaper, cardboard and heavy landscape fabric

  • Sheila Thompson Sheila Thompson on Feb 19, 2018

    I used shredded paper out of my shredding machine.

  • Mogie Mogie on Feb 19, 2018

    Have a neighbor who saved up their pet food bags for a few years and they used those under their mulch for a weed barrier. So far so good not many weeds in their yard.

  • Rl06898607 Rl06898607 on Feb 19, 2018

    I have used newspaper under my mulch. It works well, but be sure to overlap pieces. I hosed it down lightly to hold it in place while placing the mulch over it. The newspaper is a great alternative to landscape fabric!