Eco-friendly gardening: How do I fight weeds without chemicals?
Anyone who has a garden knows the problem: In the bed, the best that we do not want to grow is usually the best. the weed. But how will I get rid of it? And how can I achieve that dandelion, chickweed and co first spread? If constant weeding is too much work for me, I can use some tricks to keep the weed in check.
Weed has? Unfortunately ? almost always season: No matter if in spring, summer or autumn, it constantly grows in my bed after. Mostly it means then go to your knees and laboriously get out the unwanted plants by hand or weeders. If I do not catch the herbs in time, which spread through seeds, otherwise I quickly have half the garden full of weeds.
Although some weeds are useful and even edible, such as yaw, dandelion or daisy, I do not want them everywhere. But what can I do to keep weeds out of the flower beds or the lawn?
Boiling water yes, salt and vinegar no
The simplest remedy is sometimes the most effective: A proven home remedy for unwanted plants is boiling water. Simply boil a pot of water and pour directly over the weeds. The heat destroys vital proteins in the plant cells and kills the weeds. Once the water has cooled and dried, I can simply pull the withered plant out of the ground.
Not recommended is the use of salt water or vinegar cleaner against weeds? both home remedies, which are sometimes still recommended in the network. They work because they withdraw water from the plant and greatly change the soil environment. But that is exactly what can harm my crops near the weeds. In addition, salt and vinegar are flushed through the soil into the groundwater and contaminate it. Therefore, the use of both funds on terraces and other paved areas even prohibited - if you get caught, threatens a fine.
Prevent sprouting with mulch and straw
It is best not to give the weed the chance to spread in my garden. The most effective way to achieve this is to leave the soil in my bed not exposed unprotected. Instead, I should make sure that it is covered. This prevents weed seeds from entering and growing, but also inhibits the sprouting of weeds from the ground.
An effective method is to cover the soil in the bed with a layer of bark mulch, wood shavings or straw. If I remove the mulch in the autumn, this has even a double advantage: it protects the plant roots from frost during the winter and in spring it inhibits the growth of the newly sprouting weed. When mulching, however, I should note that the plants then need a little more fertilizer than without.
Also weed fleece helps
A rather new invention against weeds is the weed fleece sold in most hardware stores and garden shops. I lay this felt-like surface made of an air- and water-permeable fabric over a large area in the bed and spread a thin layer of earth on it. For my garden plants, I cut holes in the fleece or lay the mat around existing plants. If I lay a layer of weed fleece under my garden path or the terrace slabs, this also inhibits the annoying sprouting of grass, dandelions and co through the cracks of the flagstones.
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The principle behind the weed fleece is simple: Although the mostly dark tissue lets water, air and nutrients through, it shields the underlying soil from sunlight. Without this light, however, the weeds can not germinate and regrow. That's why my bed stays weed-free for a relatively long time. At the same time, the fleece protects the floor from frost and excessive dehydration.
Create plant competition
If I prefer my beds to be green, then I can simply dispute the place for the weeds: with ground-covering plants. For example, if I put periwinkle, stork beak or the gold strawberry in the bed, these plants quickly form a dense carpet. This leaves then the weeds no longer come up? and looks nice too.
