Pull Weeds. Don't Pollute
Opt for homemade weed killers, like your own fingers, before resorting to chemical pesticides.
As spring gives way to summer, so the excitement of planting a new garden and tidying the yard gives way to the drudgery of maintenance. Put more simply: Weed season is upon us.
Many homeowners resort to the use of lawn and garden pesticides to attack weeds, but there are better ways. Insect and weed killers can kill beneficial plants and insects, harm overall soil health and run off into nearby streams, or seep into groundwater supplies. Once used, pesticides can linger for years. Pesticides are typically made from petroleum-based chemicals.
When it comes to weeding, there's nothing as effective, nor time consuming, as getting your hands and knees dirty pulling weeds. By removing weeds, roots and all, they are less likely to return. One simple way to make the task easier is to tackle the project after a rainstorm: Roots are far easier to pull from wet ground. Over-seeding with grass or other desired plants helps prevent weeds from colonizing. Pouring boiling water, spraying vinegar and covering weed-filled areas with newspaper are other homemade weed killers that work.
Paul Tukey, author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual: A Natural, Low-Maintenance System for a Beautiful, Safe Lawn ($13.50 at amazon.com), also recommends learning from your weeds. An abundance of plantains (pictured here) indicates the soil in your lawn is compressed and in need of aeration. Dandelions might indicate a lack of calcium. (To be sure, send soil samples to local cooperative extensions, or test your soil with cheap at-home kits sold at amazon.com or gardeners.com, or try an electronic tester for $18.95 at burpee.com.).
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