What is a Weed?
Is it any plant that grows in the wrong place? Or is it an especially aggressive plant that competes successfully against cultivated plants? I would characterize mint as a weed; however, I really enjoy it in my iced tea during the warmer months. Like gardeners around the world, I have created the perfect environment for weeds to grow, and yet I seem upset when they find their way into my yard. Over time, I have come to realize that the birds and the wind will always disperse the weed seeds that invade my garden and lawn. The problem with weeds is similar to the philosophical problem of evil. Do they actually exist, or did we simply invent them?
Weed Dispersers are Everywhere!
Weed seeds are common hitchhikers! If you engage in outdoor recreational activities like camping, hiking, biking, or birding, you most likely are guilty of being an unintentional weed disperser.
You should check vehicles for plant debris and seeds, and wash your boots/socks after you hike in a new area. Also, they can hide in soil and other gardening products, so it’s best to buy local when possible.
As for animals, Birds get a lot of the credit, but weed seeds can catch a ride on your dog’s coat when you go for a walk in parks. We make a point of giving our dog a bath if we walk her outside our home area.
Other dispersers are disguised as landscapers who travel all over the city mowing lawns. I’m always curious if they wash their mowers before moving on to the next neighborhood across town. I see them on the freeway and think about all the seeds blowing in the wind that will create new weeds. I also have to be careful when I go to the Master Gardener demonstration garden to tend to my bed, yes; we have weeds there, too! I really like that the Washington Invasive Species Council has added boot brushes to some of their walking trails. Maybe I’ll suggest this to the Parks and Trails Committee in Seabrook.
Keeping the Weeds on the Down Low
One of the easiest ways I have found to control weeds is to prevent them from getting sunlight by adding mulch to my garden area. I like to use cedar mulch because it is heavier and doesn’t blow away (as much) when the wind kicks up. It also helps with ants, moths, and mosquitoes. Another option is called soil solarization. It is somewhat extreme but extremely effective. It involves covering the ground with a tarp, usually a transparent polyethylene cover, to trap solar energy. The sun heats the soil to temperatures that kill many of the things that keep your garden from thriving, including weeds and their seeds, bacteria, and insects such as root-knot nematodes. Check out this guide from Texas A&M AgriLife for more information. The pepper plants I grew last year showed signs of root knot, so I am planning to do this in my raised bed this summer.
You Can’t Mulch a Lawn…
How do you keep the weeds from infiltrating your lawn? Mulch does a decent job in raised beds, but a different approach is needed when weeds attack your lawn. Most of us use herbicides; others use a weeding tool and a 20% vinegar solution. I go to war with the weeds in my yard every Spring. Since my time is limited, I use a herbicide initially and then follow up with a weed preventer. This seems to work well for my Bermuda grass lawn (warning: don’t use on St. Augustine lawns). Try different products every 3 years or so because weeds are smart and will develop a tolerance if you use the same product consistently. An additional option is to adjust the mowing height on your lawn mower. Taller grass with its greater leaf surface area can outcompete weeds for sunlight. By blocking sunlight, you create an environment less conducive to weed growth, essentially starving many weed species before they can become a problem. I set my lawn mower height for 3 inches, which works well for my lawn. Another benefit of having taller grass is healthier, deeper roots. I used to cut my lawn like a putting green so I wouldn’t have to mow as often. I look at the situation very differently now, and my lawn looks much better than it used to! Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “A weed is simply a plant whose virtues we haven't yet discovered.” I’m not so sure that I agree with him.
March Episode of The Green Thumb: Weeds in the Garden
Weeds in South Texas and Northern Mexico
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