[itzfun]

Originally Posted by Schmitth

I continue to have to pull weeds from our flower beds , and constantly have to go back and start all over again. I have the landscape fabric, I’ve used Preen, and used most types of weed killers. Nothing seems to work efficiently. Anyone have a better solution?

A friend told me about this, and it works perfectly. Never use Roundup/glyphosate again!

This solution is as cheap as it is effective, providing you with the garden that you have always dreamed of. Grab a 1/4 cup of the original blue Dawn dish soap, two cups of Epsom salts, and a gallon of distilled vinegar. From there, transfer the solution into your own weed sprayer. If you do not have one on hand, your local hardware store will have you covered.

For best results, wait until the morning dew has evaporated before spraying the solution. Once you have sprayed the weed, there is nothing else to do. When you check your garden later that day, those pesky weeds are going to be long gone. The best part of all is that this solution is actually far less costly than the harmful chemicals you are going to find at most stores.

How To Make DIY ‘Weed-Be-Gone” Without The Harsh Chemicals | 12 Tomatoes

[ohcarroll]

Originally Posted by Pairadocs

Same problem ! Read a hint in a gardening book to put down THICK layers of newspaper on the ground BEFORE spreading and fitting the landscape fabric, but all I can say is it did seem to extend the time a bit before the inevitable weeds surfaced ! I suspect the law suits resulting from the various chemical that have caused so many medical conditions in humans, have caused a huge change in the strength and the chemical makeup of what we purchase for "weed control".

You can also use cardboard. It is called sheet mulching.

[CHWdancer]

Originally Posted by jebartle

Vinegar!

Use 1 gal vinegar, 1c table salt, 1/2c dawn. Apply liberally to weeds. It's not a permanent solution, but I have found it's good for a few months.

[Sully2023]

Originally Posted by Schmitth

I continue to have to pull weeds from our flower beds , and constantly have to go back and start all over again. I have the landscape fabric, I’ve used Preen, and used most types of weed killers. Nothing seems to work efficiently. Anyone have a better solution?

I hired a local fellow who pulls them for me at a very reasonable rate. I tried weed killer. The weeds laught at it!

[tophcfa]

Someone on our street bought a house to be used as a rental property and did the absolute best thing to prevent weeds. They got rid of all flower beds and shrubs and planted grass on 100% of their yard. It doesn’t look great, but it’s extremely low maintenance as far as weeds are concerned.

[pcntech]

Mowers will visit several different yards in a day. All manner of stuff with be on the mower from these yards and transfer to other yards. Dandelions, clover, weeds, etc. And yes it is a never ending battle. Wind driven seeds land everywhere.

[Maker]

Using salt for weed control is effective, but salt never goes away. Constantly spreading more every few weeks will eventually build up enough to harm everything growing there. Weeds, flowers, shrubs alike.
Need to look at the whole picture, including how time concentrates seemingly harmless compounds, making a soil that nothing wants to grow in.

[main12use]

I use Green Gobbler that I purchase at Ace Hardware. It really works the best for me. It is 30% vinegar. It even kills dollar weeds which are very hard to kill.

[Pugchief]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

My only concern with this (weed torch) is your burning the foliage and not destroying
the roots which means those weeds can grow back.

Not really true:
Weed torches are designed to heat the plants’ cells causing them to burst. This destroys the weed’s stem, which causes them to no longer be able to ingest water or nutrients, essentially killing the weeds. This is a fairly easy process that involves holding the torch and walking slowly between garden rows, killing the weeds in less than a second.

A weed ecologist from the University of California, Tom Lanine, offers information on when it is obvious that weeks have been effectively killed using this method. Essentially, he says that when the weed changes from glossy to matte, then it should die within a few hours. It is recommended to leave the weed to compost naturally and there is no need to disturb the soil.

Another expert, Mike Orzolek from Penn State, recommends that flaming weeds two to three weeks apart. Flaming will kill annual weeds completely, but does not kill the roots of perennial weeds. Often, gardeners will see new shoots a week or so after flaming and additional treatments can deplete the roots, killing the weeds.

source

[PurePeach]

Originally Posted by mikreb

Preen pre-emergent doesn't work. Use Prodiamine or Barricade pre-emergent.

I beg to differ. I use Preen about every six months and it works well. HOWEVER, when I apply, I apply it very liberally to the point that the rocks look like they have a dusting of snow on them. I have very few weeds that pop up in between applications. When I do, I spray them with Roundup (mine has a little cover over the nozzle so it goes only where I want it to). It is rare that you see a weed in my flowers or me pulling up a weed.

[juddfl]

I have someone take care of my flower beds as I am not able to do that kind of work. I do have a hint on how to kill the weeds that grow in the cracks of your driveway and walkway. I'm a tea drinker. I boil water for my tea and as my tea is brews I go outside and pour the rest of the water from the tea kettle along the cracks. I start at the bottom of my driveway and work my way up to the garage door. That way I don't stand in any water as it slopes toward the street. The next day, weeds are gone. I guess I boil them to death!!!!

[stewiegal]

1/4 cup dawn liquid
2 cups Epsom salts
1 gal white vinegar
Works great, Epsom salts good for plants, non toxic

[katherineboettcher]

Originally Posted by Schmitth

I continue to have to pull weeds from our flower beds , and constantly have to go back and start all over again. I have the landscape fabric, I’ve used Preen, and used most types of weed killers. Nothing seems to work efficiently. Anyone have a better solution?

I use Preen about 3 times a year in the garden beds. It really helps prevent weed growth. Especially if you use it as a pre-emergent (pre-season) treatment.
Also the best weed/grass killers without using pesticides is a simple combination of concentrated vinegar, salt, dish soap and water. To make 2 liters of weed spray, add 1cup table salt, 6 cups Harris 35%white vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dish soap, fill with water to 2 liters. Stir well. Spray. When done , rinse out sprayer unit. I recommend wearing gloves. It is pretty caustic on skin. Stand back. The weeds will die!

[Nana2Teddy]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Someone on our street bought a house to be used as a rental property and did the absolute best thing to prevent weeds. They got rid of all flower beds and shrubs and planted grass on 100% of their yard. It doesn’t look great, but it’s extremely low maintenance as far as weeds are concerned.

I’m surprised ARC approved that.

[Two Bills]

Get rid of all the plants that need constant watering and feeding.
Let the weeds take over the borders.
Just call it a Natural Environment Friendly Garden if reported.
No maintenance, and saving the planet.