Why Use Herbicides?

While gardening, it is often important identify weeds and to remove weeds using an organic herbicide. It is important that the herbicides used should not affect the plant nor harm the insects that might actually do it good. Dragonflies, honeybees and butterflies are often killed by pesticide sprays so proper herbicide use often helps in maintaining biodiversity. Also, organic herbicide contains ingredients used for human nutrition with its components being harmless.

Types Of Organic Herbicides

Organic weedkiller is of different types such as:

• Petroleum oil herbicides: They have a temporary effect but these herbicides act fast and are safe to use for domestic purposes.
• Organic arsenical herbicides: Usually applied for spot treatments this herbicide use acts on tubers and rhizomes, making them resistant to nut sedges and Johnson grass.
• Phenoxyaliphatic acid herbicides: MCPA, Silvex, 2,4-D and 2,4-DB affect cell division, phosphate metabolism and act as effective organic weedkiller.
• Substituted amide herbicides: These are organic herbicides for grasses and prevent early seedling growth.

Herbicides That May Be Used

• Corn gluten meal spread on the fields often prevents dandelion seeds from germinating and thus helps in weed control. This organic herbicide is a natural by-product of corn starch and provides a rich source of nitrogen to fertilize the soil in addition.
• Vinegar, garlic and other oils are also good organic herbicides. The acetic acid in vinegar kills lawn weeds and one should judiciously apply this organic herbicide on lawns since it can affect grass too. However, repeated application of this organic weedkiller may be required as it does not act easily on established perennial weeds.
• Grass clippings, pine bark or even slightly decomposed wood chips may be good organic herbicides to grow a better garden.

Herbicide Spraying: What To Remember

However, it should be remembered that most organic herbicides do not have a lasting effect in killing strong perennial weeds. Although they do affect the plant tissue at the site where there is herbicide spraying, the active ingredients of the herbicides are not assimilated in other parts of the plant. Only repeated regular herbicide use will help in depleting plant carbohydrate reserves and ultimately succeed in killing the plant. If one is looking out for removing weeds in a cost effective manner, using an organic weedkiller may turn out to be a difficult proposition. However, with small seedlings, organic herbicides are effective in killing them.

Other factors that need to be taken into account for effective herbicide use is the plant resistance to penetration of herbicide, plant growth activity, type of soil and amount of moisture in the soil among other things. With conducive conditions and proper herbicide use however, weeds can be controlled effectively.

References:

1. Salad Dressing or Weed Control – University of Minnesota Extension

Identifying Weeds Quickly By Common Characteristics

Common weeds have species specific characteristics so weeds identification may be a problem sometimes. However, weed types possess one or more of the following qualities which make weed identification easy.

• Weeds produce a large number of seeds, adapt well to the environment and spread very quickly.
• While weed types can germinate under most conditions some seeds remain dormant.
• Weeds are able to self-pollinate and spread quickly.

Weeds Identification

There are generally three types of common weeds and one needs to identify lawn weeds as the grassy-type weeds, grass-like weeds and broad leafed weeds. While identifying weeds of the first type is difficult, maintaining a dense vigorous turf is the best way to control these weed types. To identify lawn weeds of the grass-like weed types one needs to look at them closely as they can be easily identified. Yellow Nutsedge, Wild Onion and Star-of-Bethlehem are common weeds belonging to these weed types. To identify weeds of the broad leafed type is most easy. They have wide and flat leaves produced in pairs or multiples. Common weeds are Broadleaf Plantains, Buckhorns, Carpetweeds, Chickweeds and Dandelion.

Identify Lawn Weeds Of Different Types

Identifying weeds in time can protect your garden and ensure common weeds are kept away. Here are some weed types you should look out for:

• To identify weeds of the Broadleaf Plantain variety look for leaves arranged in a rosette with prominent veins. Hand pulling will remove these common weeds.
• Daisies are April gardening favorites for many, but if allowed to grow unchecked these common weeds can wreak havoc. They can be easily identified but not so easily killed so mow them and treat with weedkiller.
• Nutgrass is one of the world’s worst weeds with herbicides hardly affecting it. But it can be put to good use and made into a fertilizer by destroying the nuts and soaking it in a bucket for a month or two till it rots.
• Weed identification for Onion Weed will be useful as these weed types can be eaten with even the flowers as edible.
• Identifying weeds of Speedwell, a blue flower that spreads quickly and treating with a weedkiller will save the garden.

Ensure weeds are kept to a minimum in your garden by identifying weeds quickly and treating and killing weed types to maintain a well kept lawn. Knowing one’s climate and geographic region well will help to identify lawn weeds and remove them in the right time.

References:

1. Introduction to Weeds - The Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management Program
2. Keeping Weeds Away – American Lawns

Getting Rid of Weeds

Garden weeds cannot be eliminated entirely, but can be controlled. Even grass weeds that are difficult to eradicate can be conquered if you persist. Annual weeds will die in numbers if you continue the weed killing process by doing away with the seedlings before they flower and shed more seeds. When the population of weeds have been reduced, to keep controlling weeds mulching and prompt removal of garden weed seedlings that do appear will keep the garden almost weed free. Controlling and getting rid of weeds is a long battle, which will last a couple of season rather than a few weeks if the garden has been neglected.

How To Get Rid Of Weeds Without Chemicals

While garden weeds are annoying and harmful, it is even more harmful to use chemicals for weed gardening. So how to get rid of weeds without chemicals in a non toxic way?

• Most seeds reproduce by means of corns and bulblets, which remain on the soil even after the main plant has been removed and this makes weed gardening and weed killing an ongoing task.
• Pulling out weeds by hand is one of the best ways of controlling weeds. This can however be a very long process of getting rid of garden and grass weeds. Even then you may never completely be able to eradicate the garden weeds.
• Try and remove all types of garden weeds while they are still young, well before they have started to set seed and you will cut down on time spent weed killing.
• A garden that is well mulched is very good in keeping down garden weed growth. Different types of mulches can be used such as, organic mulch such as compost, pine bark chips or peats. Non- organic mulches, such as black plastic placed between vegetables or stones can be very effective.
• It is said that pouring boiling water on garden weeds is a good way of controlling weeds as it will kill the weeds as well as the seeds. Just be careful not to get any on you, or on the plants that you want to keep.
• Undiluted vinegar is another good choice for killing weeds. Put it in a spray bottle and use on weeds, being careful not to get any spray on your plants as it can also kill them.
• If you are the type of person that makes your own compost, never add old garden weeds with seed heads to the heap. These seeds may not be dead and will germinate again in your garden. Commercial compost is fairly weed free. When compost is mixed with farm manure it can be full of garden and grass weeds. This can add weeds that you did not have to your garden. It is for this reason that weed free, sterilized compost is the best bet if you are having problems controlling weeds.

Weed Gardening – Applying Weedkillers

If weed killing without chemicals is not quite working out, you might have nothing left to do but apply weedkillers for weed gardening and kill those garden weeds.When using weedkiller for controlling weeds however, it should be done with great care.

• Make sure you have the correct type of weedkiller needed for controlling weeds in your garden.
• Decide whether you want to use a sprayer or spot-treat the garden weeds with a paintbrush or special applicator. Remember to only use the sprayer on windless days, if not the spray can find itself on other plants and damage them. Spot treating can be extremely time consuming if you have a number of garden weeds. Spot treating however is the safer weed killing option.
• Keep children and pets off the lawn for a couple of days or longer after using the chemicals for getting rid of weeds.
• When using a systemic herbicide for controlling weeds, the weeds are not killed off immediately; it can take a week or more to wither. Always use a separate sprayer for herbicides. If the sprayer is used for feeding or applying pesticides, the herbicide residue can damage garden plants. This can happen even though you have washed the sprayer thoroughly.

Weed killing and controlling weeds can be a painful and backbreaking task but if you really want your garden to remain healthy, it is important that you keep at it and do your best at getting rid of weeds.

References:

1. Controlling weeds in your lawn and garden – The Garden Helper
2. Control Weeds in the Garden and Landscape – Purdue University Consumer Horticulture