After weeding the outside of the bed
by Angela Elder
How do I get rid of weeds in a flowerbed that I want to put rocks in?
+9
I already have an established flowerbed with a sprinkler system that is overgrown. I have lots of established plants that I want to keep in there. I also have weeds (dollar weed, invasive morning glory, and a few others) that are 2 feet tall in and around all the established plants. My back is not the best and I am unable to weed a section at a time due to back pain and the Texas heat. My goal is to put down landscape fabric around all the plants already there that I want to keep, and then cover that in rocks. How do I accomplish that without having to dig everything out completely and starting over? If I lay down the landscape fabric on top of the existing weeds (perhaps cut them down with clippers to reduce height) will it kill them or do I have to truly get them out before I begin? The two pics are of "before and after" of just weeding the outside part. That does have landscape fabric and lava rock on top, but still gets weeds as well. I just need help! Takes all day just to do around the outside of the bed, and another two days to do inside if I work at it for 8 hours a day. Three days later it is all starting over again. Also, these pics are a couple of years old. Much more growth since then, bigger plants, and you can't see the mulch at all anymore, too many weeds.....Side note-I have lots of frogs and other living things that I want to keep, so any type of chemical won't work for me.
I did try laying down newspaper that I put a few rocks on for a week or two, and there is no way to actually keep it wet, not in the Texas heat, but it didn't do anything to help so gave that up.
Before weeding the outside of the bed
I can understand your frustration. No matter what you use, weeds have a way of making themselves at home. I love mulch, at least 3 inches. I hardly get weeds in the mulch, and when I do, they are easier to pull.
I'm sorry to say that if you want to be "green", mulch is probably the best answer. Unfortunately for you, with your mulch overgrown, you may well have to dig it down.
If you want to reach low in the bed, a garden cart can make it easier. With me, it's my knees! Do the work in sections and drink plenty of water. :)
But with the extent of the work you have to do, you should use long handle tools to pull/dig weeds. You may want to divide keepers, but I wouldn't think that you have to remove all your plants to start fresh.
I had lava rock and I've done pea stones, but again, weeds (as you know) still make home in them. I use just a "ditch", but I've also used mulch in the ditch and packed it with my foot. God bless you, and I hope that some kind person will help you. I would but I'm in Massachusetts.
Mary
weeds are hard to get rid of white viniger might help & hand pick weed s or buy weed killer!
Weeds have a hard time surviving without adequate sunlight. You can kill existing weeds and prevent new ones from growing using a little bit of old newspaper and some garden mulch.
Hello, try watering (watering loosens the roots to make pulling easier) then pulling what you can, then use an artist brush and paint vinegar /and roundup on the ones you can get out, frogs won't go near the vinegar smell, so they won't get harmed
Thanks Deb! Yes, I have found that water definitely helps with getting out weeds by the roots. I had not thought about vinegar, maybe something to try.
Update!! I have continued to plant new stuff in the bed, and it is finally almost to the point that what I want in there is finally choking out the weeds! I figured if I just filled the bed that day would come eventually!
What would say about carpet ? I have a back lot of rock and weeds. So I took leftover carpet from a dealer. Most pieces are fairly big. Good size. Laid it over the cut weed and left it. Carpet looks great. With stand the snow. It's better than grass.. I just plan on leaving it.
underlayement
I use Preen in the spring and again in June. in my flower beds. It prevents weed seeds from coming up. You can't use it on beds that you have planted with flower seeds but I use it on my perennial beds that have no mulch, just bare dirt and is amazing how it works. What a difference between the bed I used Preen on and the ones I didn't use the Preen sprinkled on. . I use it around rose bushes, iris, daises cone flowers and even around the Hostas.