Who says you need to resort to chemical herbicides to rid your gardens or lawn of weeds? While it may be tempting to buy chemical remedies to deal with a weed problem, there are a variety of safe and effective ways to get rid of these persistent pests.

Here are some of the best and safest options for keeping your backyard landscape weed-free.

1. Manual Digging

Nothing replaces hard work when it comes to weed removal. Grab a trowel, shovel or hand digger for spot-treatment of your garden. While most people don’t enjoy weeding, when done regularly, it’s one of the best ways to stay on top of the problem.

Getting weeds while they’re young — before they have a chance to go to seed and reproduce — is highly effective. Regularly targeting weeds such as dandelions or thistles is also a good idea because it weakens the root and eventually kills the weed.

2. Mulching and Ground Cover

Another great way to prevent weeds is by putting ground cloth on your garden and cutting holes for your bushes and flowers to poke through.  Covering this with a thick layer of mulch such as bark, wood chips, or even straw goes a long way toward inhibiting weed growth.

Just be sure not to choose hay because it’s full of seeds that can result in weeds.

3. The Right Plants

When you choose aggressively growing plants for your garden —  dense ground covers, for instance — it’s harder for weeds to get a foothold. There simply isn’t a lot of space for them to grow. The heavier root systems of trees and shrubs can also be a deterrent to weed growth.

Preventing weeds in your lawn is all about choosing the right type of grass. It should be suitable for shade, drought or other difficult areas where a less robust grass would struggle and leave room for weeds to grow.

4. Vodka

Vodka is effective for far more than making drinks. It’s actually a great weed killer. Mix one ounce of vodka, two cups of water and a few drops of Dawn dish soap and use it on weeds that get good exposure to the sun.

The combination of the vodka mixture and the sun will dry out and kill whatever it’s sprayed on. So be sure not to hit your flowers or shrubs. It will kill them too.

5. Vinegar

White vinegar is also a powerful weed killer when it’s mixed with Epsom salts and Dawn dish soap. Mix four litres of white vinegar with 1 cup of Epsom salts and 1 tablespoon of the dish detergent. Pour the concoction into a plastic spray bottle and then spray directly on weeds.

6. Boiling Water

A kettle of boiling water poured over weeds is a great way to get rid of unwanted visitors growing in cracks of your patio. Pouring the boiling water directly on the weeds scorches them but won’t burn the plants nearby because the water will cool before it reaches them.

Legends Landscape Supply

Whether you have a weed problem to deal with or a landscaping project to complete, Legends Landscape Supply can help you reach your goals. As a one-stop-shop for landscapers in Burlington, we have everything you need in-store to take your outdoor living space to the next level. Visit our Heritage Road store for free landscape coaching or product recommendations or get in touch with us here to book your landscape supply delivery.