Preventing Weeds in Flower Beds

Don't let your beautiful flower bed be overrun by weeds. This is a guide about preventing weeds in flower beds.

Solutions: Preventing Weeds in Flower Beds

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Keeping Weeds Out of Flower Beds

Question:

How can I, a physically disabled women, keep grass and weeds out of my front flower bed (consisting of over 200 gladiola bulbs). The flower bed is surrounding my front deck. Also, I have many other plants and flowers throughout the yard? The grass, weeds and wire grass just about ate them all up this past year.

There is too much demand on our watering supply to water daily, so I had a deep layer of mulch (that the bulbs wear planted/set into which would and did retain the moisture for the flowers).

I hired help to plant the bulbs in mulch that had been sitting for a two to four years BUT the grass, weeds etc. came up making the flower beds looking nasty/dirty and unkept.

I do not recall my grandparents having any trouble with their bulbs being over run by grass and weeds. Perhaps I was too young to notice them out daily weeding to notice why their flower beds always looked fantastic!

Please help with some sort of deterrent for me to use for this problem.

Laying a layer of water soaked newspaper and covering it with more mulch was suggested to stop the weeds/grass from growing. I haven't tried this yet, has anyone of you done this sort of thing or anything else to be a deterrent to weeds & grass growing in the flower beds?

Any help or suggestion will be greatly appreciated and used next spring in 2007 as I am sure that the over 200 gladiola bulbs will nearly double (or I am hoping they will).

Thanks and God bless you & yours.

Hardiness Zone: 7b

Paula

Answer:

Hi Paula,

Smothering weeds by using layers of newspapers, cardboard or a thick layer of mulch is certainly one suggestion I would recommend for keeping your plantings from becoming overrun by weeds. If you use organic mulch, like wood chips, leaves, pine needles or compost, you'll need to apply it at least 3 to 4 inches thick and select a type of material that will neutralize the pH of your soil. I would avoid using straw, because it often contains weed seeds, which will only make your job that much harder.

Another strategy you might consider is to crowd out the weeds by planting a ground cover once your glad bulbs pop through. Not only will a ground cover help crowd out the weeds and prevent them from getting sun, but the right ground cover plants will also provide some interest until your gladiolus get into full swing. You might even consider trying a dwarf grass for this purpose.

There are also several lightweight tools available that are designed specifically to make gardening chores easier for the physically disabled. These include long-handled tools with clip-on, twist-on or snap-on heads that allow gardeners to work from a seated position. Many come with cushioned, adjustable handles that are ergonomically designed for a firm, stress-free grip. A long-handled cutter or shears would allow you to keep the weeds trimmed down around your bulbs for a tidier look.

Another option I would urge you to consider is to contact your county extension agency about the possibility of getting help from your county or state's Master Gardener program. These programs are often looking for volunteer gardening opportunities for their members to participate in. Other groups that may be able to offer you volunteer assistance are 4-H groups, Boy Scout or Girl Scout Troops, school groups or church groups.

Finally, here is a good link to information on gardening for the disabled.

http://livingwell.tripod.com/handigardning.html

Ellen

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Questions

Here are questions related to Preventing Weeds in Flower Beds.

Getting Rid Of Weeds In Flower Beds

How can I safely get rid of weeds in my flower beds?

Wilda Scott

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Most Recent Answer

By ThomasCHolland04/13/2010

Hey Wilda: This is a very good question! "Safely" being the key word. Our company recently wrote an article on just this topic.

We have found that the best solution is actually a combination of tactics. I would suggest laying down professional-grade landscape fabric and then spray only as needed. If possible, we like to use "drip" irrigation for shrubs so that weeds have less of a chance to grow in between plants.

If you are interested, here is the link to the article: http://www.stacklandscape.com/flower-beds.html
Hope that helps! -Thomas

Weeds in Flower Gardens

The thistles in my flower garden are certainly competing with the flowers this year. If I were trying to grow thistles, I'd be quite successful! What can I use to get rid of these pesky plants that won't harm the good flowers and our pets?

By Lois C.

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Most Recent Answer

By Chloelizabeth06/25/2012

Since most thistles spead by both seeds and roots, you need to kill the entire plant and to also cut off the bloom before it can seed. Spray carefully just the thistles with a thistle killer - it take special products designed to kill thistles. Make a shield out of paper or cardboard so only the thistles at hit by the spray. Now the bad news. It may take several years to complete rid yourself of them.

Weeds Taking Over Wild Flower Gardens

I am having trouble with kosha weeds and sunflowers taking over my wildflower garden patch. Are there any other alternatives to hand weeding?

By Krys

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Most Recent Answer

By nonniebeth08/06/2011

Next year prepare your garden in the winter by spraying with weed killer, remove dead plants and cover with plastic tarp. Check under the tarp and if weeds are coming back from seed repeat the process until no weeds return.
This won't totally do away with weeds but will help keep from having so many.

Weed and Feed for Flower Beds

Is there any weed and feed that can be sprayed on flower beds?

By Moucheninette from Perth, TAS

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Most Recent Answer

By moucheninette04/01/2010

Thank you for your feed back, I didn't think it would be that easy, will have to do it the hard way.

Keeping Weeds out of Flower Beds

Over the past several years I have become very careful with the environment and what pesticides and the like can do.

When I want to make another flower bed, instead of spraying roundup, I put down several layers of newspaper and plant the items, and then mulch. Works everytime and is much safer.

By Sandie Jones

RE: Keeping Weeds out of Flower Beds

Be careful if you use newspapers around your house's foundation and walls. The papers on the ground could attract termites. These termites could possibly transfer over to the wooden structure of the house and make it one of their snacks! (09/22/2005)

By P.

Keeping Weeds out of Flower Beds

There is too much demand on our watering supply to water daily, so I had a deep layer of mulch (that the bulbs wear planted/set into which would and did retain the moisture for the flowers).

I hired help to plant the bulbs in mulch that had been sitting for a two to four years BUT the grass, weeds etc. came up making the flower beds looking nasty/dirty and unkept.

Please help with some sort of deterrent for me to use for this problem.

Any help or suggestion will be greatly appreciated and used next spring in 2007 as I am sure that the over 200 gladiola bulbs will nearly double (or I am hoping they will).

Thanks and God bless you & yours.

Hardiness Zone: 7b

Paula

RE: Keeping Weeds out of Flower Beds

That was going to be my suggestion... using newspapers to help block the weeds. This fall, I'd suggest cutting the weeds as short as possible. If you wait until the glad foliage dies back you can cut them down too. Then just lay a 4-6 sheet layer of black/white newspaper over the area, water it down and then mulch with chopped leaves or shredded bark about 3" deep. If you have other perennials, then you would want to lay the newspaper around those plants before mulching. I use this method all the time, and can really kick myself when I don't. It usually lasts me 12-16 months before I start to notice weeds again. I have one bed that just has a few shrubs, so I used a much thicker layer of newspaper and it has been two years since I put down the newspaper under the mulch. You may still have weed seeds drop into the bed, but they are very easy to pull if the sprout in the mulch. If you have a lot of creeping weeds, make sure you edge the bed with some sort of barrier. I like metal edging, but plastic works too if you don't have to compete with any tree roots. (09/14/2006)

By adina72

RE: Keeping Weeds out of Flower Beds

If you can deprive the weed seeds of light, they wont be able to sprout. Newspapers are great for this. They are what I use. Some people purchase a plastic made for this purpose. Plastic doesnt break down after several years and need to be replaced. (09/15/2006)

By Carol in PA

Preventing Weeds In a Flower Garden

This is a question that's been asked for centuries I'm sure. I am so impressed with some of your tips that I just HAD to ask! I love my garden but I can see myself weeding it perpetually. I always get the roots, but is there a tip or trick to discourage weeds in our garden?

It's a flower garden not a veggie garden. We have a rose bush, Tiger Lillies and Wandering Jews. Thanks!

Jim in FL

RE: Preventing Weeds In a Flower Garden

Last year I tried Preen and it worked great! You just have to get rid of all the weeds first. It only prevents seeds from germinating, so you have to get the roots too or put it down early in the spring. (05/27/2005)

By Donna J.

RE: Preventing Weeds In a Flower Garden

I tried something new this year that has helped a lot. I laid plain brown paper over the parts of the flower bed that were going to have mulch on them ultimately. Some use newspaper. If you use bricks, stones, etc. on the edges of the bed, you can tuck the paper under the edges, then cover the paper with 4+ " of mulch. This cuts down on weeding and eventually the paper will decompose. (I buy dog food in 40# bags and the inside of the bags are perfect for this.) Good luck! (06/25/2005)

By Les in IL

RE: Preventing Weeds In a Flower Garden

I have heard about vinegar. Just regular household vinegar. You spray it right on the weed. Our yard is infested, so I'm going to try it this year. (05/28/2009)

By Allison5