Six Tools for Preventing and Removing Weeds
Don't let weeds ruin your lawn and garden spaces. Learn how to kill weeds and prevent them from taking over your groundcover.
Although a few weeds can be tolerated in most lawns, and may be valuable for increasing the garden's biodiversity and for attracting beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies, too many can look unsightly and may spread quickly if you do not deal with them promptly.
Covering soil with weed-suppressing membrane is an effective method of preventing weeds from germinating. This is useful for bare soil but should not be used on lawns since it will kill the grass. It can also be used to warm the ground prior to sowing grass seed.
Drenching the soil with contact weedkiller prior to sowing prevents weed seeds from germinating. This should only be used on bare soil and not directly on lawns. Specific dilution and spraying rates should be strictly followed according to the label.
Removing weeds with a fork is a useful method because it generally avoids chopping through perennial roots, which helps to propagate them. Hand forks can be used for clumps within the lawn. Large forks should only be used in large areas to prepare for grass seed or turf.
This useful tool is pushed deep into the soil and then levered, prising out persistent perennial weeds like thistles and dandelions with their taproots intact. Due to its slender, compact shape, the grubber causes minimal damage to the lawn when inserted.
Designed to be sprayed on lawns, these chemicals kill broadleaf weeds without harming the grass. Chemicals can either be bought ready to spray or they will need to be diluted beforehand. Always wear protective clothing.
Brushing or wiping weedkiller onto individual weeds in the lawn can be a laborious process but is useful for spot treating small areas. The chemicals are taken in through the leaf and down into the root system, killing the plant.