What is the best way to remove grass from my flower bed?

Question

I have two flower beds in my front yard with shrubs covered in mulch. I continually get grass growing in them and need to remove it.

Answer 1

I just keep pulling mine up by the roots. Eventually you'll get it all.

Answer 2

I'm confused as to whether this is a flower bed or simply shrubbery. If you have flowers, I like to use a spading fork to get under the grass and lift most of the roots. I don't think you will EVER get it all as it creeps in from the edges.

If all you have is shrubbery, it's easier to mulch as you don't have to work around flower clumps. Dig out the grass as above. Lay down thicknesses of newspaper. Seem like a lot? Add a little more. Nice and thick. Hmmm, that's good. Now cover with a mulch of compost or wood chips. The newspaper smothers the grass and the mulch hides the paper. You may have to repeat annually as the newspaper decomposes. Nice clean system though, no chemicals, no labor.

Answer 3

You won't want this answer, but it's the old fashioned way, pull it! The problem is you probably don't have enough mulch down, therefore the grass keeps coming up.
Pull the mulch away and lay a thick layer of newspapers or cardboard, then cover with about five inches of mulch.
That'll keep most of the grass out.

Answer 4

Ortho has a product called Grass*b*Gon that will kill grass but not most flowers or shrubs. (It would kill monocot plants like grass (which it's designed to do), tulips, irises, basically anything with spear-shaped leaves.) Everything else it has no affect on.

Once you've killed the grass with Grass*b*Gon the use Preen on the beds. You only have to use it twice a summer. It prevents seeds from germinating. So when you mow and blow all kinds of grass and weed seeds into your beds, they will not germinate. This stuff is a real time saver.

Answer 5

MORE mulch. If you have a layer at least 2-3" thick (compacted) the grass won't be able to get through. Best mulch is a combination of hay and leaves. Don't leave any spaces! Good luck!

Answer 6

Round-Up is your easiest solution, just need a good back because you will need to bend down when spraying and only spray on windless days and very close to the grass. The black landscape paper they use now doesn't work for me the weed seeds blow on the paper and then the roots grow into the paper and I just have a stronger root because I can't pull it up through the paper.

Answer 7

I use a Stirrup Hoe, that tool is sharp and cuts under the roots of the grass, I then rake it off with a small rake.

Answer 8

Go to a home & garden store & they have grass killer that doesn't kill flowers. Either that, or do it by hand, depending on the size of your flower garden. good luck

Answer 9

the best thing i found is to put that black ground cover down you can buy it at the store and no more weeds

Answer 10

roundup,,but make sure to only touch it on the grass !!! roundup will kill anything it touches,thats green..