Even if the relationship to weeds has changed due to increased environmental awareness: Seeing them grow exactly where ornamental plants should actually thrive doesn't have to be the case. You can find out how you can combat weeds in the garden in an environmentally friendly way and without using chemicals in the following article.
How can you control weeds in an environmentally friendly way?
To combat weeds in an environmentally friendly way, you can weed them mechanically, mulch beds, lay out weed fleece or film, clean paving joints and keep the lawn free of weeds. Avoid chemical weed killers as well as vinegar and s alt.
Why should weeds be removed at all?
But since weeds grow much faster than vegetables, fruits and ornamental plants, they rob these plants of their nutrients. For this reason, mechanical weeding is one of the most important tasks for the hobby gardener throughout the entire growing season.
This should be done before the weeds set seeds. These not only spread over large areas, but can survive in the soil for many years. This causes the unwanted green to show up again as soon as you remove it.
Weeding properly
In order to weed successfully, you should take a close look at the weeds you want to destroy in advance. The root decides which tool is suitable for this work:
- Taproots that extend deep into the ground, such as dandelions, can be tackled with a root pruner.
- Shallow roots are mainly found in mosses and lichens. They spread to a depth of a few centimeters and can be easily removed with a shovel iron.
- Running roots branch underground and are very difficult to control. The only thing that helps here is extensive digging and digging and thorough selection of the roots.
Weeding is much easier when the soil is moist. If it hasn't rained for a while, you can wet the soil in advance with the hose. First loosen the substrate with a digging fork and remove any parts that are transported to the surface by the tines.
Mulching the beds
A protective cover made of bark mulch, pine bark, straw or grass clippings not only protects the bed from drying out, but also ensures that weed seeds can no longer germinate. The applied layer should be at least five centimeters thick. Before mulching, apply a slow-release fertilizer, such as horn shavings.
Apply weed fleece or film in the garden
Alternatively, you can lay weed fleece or weed film. As with mulching, the substrate in the bed is covered by it, depriving the weeds of their livelihood. The materials are permeable to air and water so that rain and irrigation water can seep away. The gas exchange, which is so important for soil organisms and plant growth, is also not disturbed.
Depending on the demands and soil conditions, you will receive these aids in the fight against weeds in different strengths. They are available pre-cut or, for large bed areas, as rolls.
When laying out, proceed as follows:
- Completely remove root weeds.
- If necessary, improve the soil quality with sand or humus and work a slow-release fertilizer into the substrate.
- Put on weed foil and fix it at the corners.
- Distribute plants on the fleece at the correct planting distance.
- Cut a slit in the foil where you want to use it.
- Insert plants.
- Finally cover with a visually appealing layer of mulch.
Remove weeds from the paving joints
You can remove weeds that have grown in the gaps between the paving slabs mechanically using a joint scraper. Alternatively, electric or gas-powered weed killers (€449.00 on Amazon), which effectively remove the greenery, are suitable.
If you only need to clear a small paved area of weeds, heat is also helpful, albeit with boiling water. This happens anyway in the kitchen when cooking pasta or potatoes. If you pour the hot liquid specifically onto the weeds growing in the joints, the plants will die reliably and can then be removed.
Green between paving stones can also be destroyed with a high-pressure cleaner. A special brush is available as an accessory for these devices. It works just as well with the included cleaning attachment.
An effective alternative is weed-inhibiting joint sand, which is carefully swept into the cracks after the joints have been mechanically cleaned. Due to its rounded shape, Dansand compacts very strongly, preventing weed seeds from sprouting. In addition, it does not provide any nutrient basis for the unwanted greenery.
Tackling lawn weeds
Weeds can only spread in the lawn if it has not been adequately supplied with nutrients. Therefore, fertilize green areas regularly. You should also work on the grass with a scarifier in spring and late summer. This removes dead plant matter and aerates the soil.
Don't mow too short and leave at least five centimeters of blade length. This shades the ground so much that weed seeds do not germinate. You can weed individual weeds in the lawn mechanically or lift them out with a weed cutter.
Tip
Chemical weed killers offer a quick, but not an environmentally friendly solution. In addition, the use of these products on sealed surfaces is prohibited and is punishable by heavy fines. Fighting weeds with vinegar or s alt is also harmful and is prohibited on paved areas by the Plant Protection Act.