Got Weeds?
The only difference between a weed and a flower is your judgement. ~ Unknown
Weeds — Every gardener’s worst enemy! They can be frustrating to handle and even those who are trying their very best to be organic or eco-friendly sometimes find themselves reaching for a chemical to help out. Deciding between the different choices available and their impact can be complicated. The following are some of the common ones out there and some pros/cons for each to help you decide.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, the yard work gets away from us. Although the BEST method you can possibly do for the environment in regards to weed control is manually pulling them out by hand or with a variety of available tools — this isn’t always a possibility. Maybe they have grown too big, maybe you are sick or otherwise incapable. Whatever the reason, even the best-intentioned gardener sometimes needs some help to catch up.
A note from Dandy Lion
Pullers come in all shapes and sizes. There are hand-held versions or standing stick-tool versions. And are designed to be pushed into the soil next to the tap-root of the weed to loosen it and “pop” it out of the ground
Favourite Manual Pulling Weeding Tool:
There are multiple tools you can use to make this task easier and everyone has their own favourite. My personal favourite is a Hori-Hori Knife which is a Japanese digging and weeding tool made of strong steel and with a serrated edge. This tool makes digging down next to roots to pop-out troublesome weeds super simple, root-intact. It also comes in handy transplanting, dividing plants, and general garden activities.
Chemical Weeding Tools
Herbicides
While there are a lot of options out there, there are a few different kinds of herbicides you will commonly find.
- 1) Non-Selective — Kill any and all vegetation they come into contact with. Often these contain Glyphosate, Pelargonic Acid, and Diquat.
- 2) Selective — Designed to only target specific plants, they will leave your grass alone while targeting your dandelions. These often contain 2,4-D, Dicamba, or Triclopyr.
Deciding between the two is up to your individual needs and situation, but if you are going to choose one, please be sure to use a strong mulching system after to reduce the likelihood of regrowth. Also, ALWAYS follow package instructions for use to avoid run-off into other areas and unintended killing of your other plants and trees.
Favourite Selective Chemical Weeding Tool:
My personal favourite selective chemical weed control is the Scotts® EcoSense® Weed B Gon® Weed Control Concentrate. It is made of 98% Iron (FeHDTA) which controls dandelions and other broadleaf weeds while being safe for your lawn. It is also a great choice if you are trying to avoid stronger chemicals in your yard and garden.
I hope this helps in your gardening journey.
Happy Gardening,
Dandy Lion
