How can I fortify my flower gardens against weeds?

Question

When I was a kid I weeded the flower beds once a week for maybe an hour and they always looked great. In my own yard it seems like weeding is all I do and it still looks like a jungle. I'm about ready to give up and pave it over. Can you give me any suggestions?

Answer 1

1) Plant perennials, and plant them close together so they will choke out the weeds.
2) Mulch REALLY deeply so that the weeds will not have enough sunlight to grow.
3) Please do NOT use chemicals like Round-up or Preen.
4) It is said that weeding in time will save you 7 years of having to do it all over again w/ successive generations, so remain vigilant!
5) Put down some strong borders. Weeds are pretty relentless and very strong and adaptable. The borders deeply help in keeping them out of one's flowerbeds, the creeping ones anyway.
6) Keep your lawn mowed so the weeds don't get a chance to go to seed and end up (again) in your flowerbeds.
7) Change your thinking about what exactly constitutes a "weed". I've taken to letting goldenrod, chicory, Queen Anne's Lace, lupine, ground ivy, violets (and tons of these!!!!!), feverfew and wild asters grow in my gardens. They look beautiful, especially the feverfew intermixed w/ echinaecea and bergamot, so it's colors of white, pink and red. Usually people who are driven the craziest by weeds are the more anal-rententive, "It has to be this way in my yard and gardens because I say so" types...Begin to see "weeds" as gifts from the Goddess. The wildflowers will also bring far more bees and butterflies to your gardens. Work w/ nature, not against it. (Because she'll win in the longterm, anyway...) Change your mind, and the rest will follow.
8) Go visit the people with the nicest gardens in the neighborhood, and ask them what they do, or just observe everyday if you don't want to "bother them". Join the Garden Club in your area...

Answer 2

While Kate's method will effectively flatten and suppress the weeds that are growing in your garden, it does not kill the root (of the weeds) or prevent them from forming heads (seed heads). I would spray about 3 gallons of diesel fuel per 100 square feet of area with a garden sprayer to kill the weeds. Please note that SOME of your flowers may be adversely effected by the diesel fuel. Just fro good measure, once applied, you could ignite the fuel and allow the flames to consume any weeds nearby but this is simply an added measure and the fuel alone should kill the weeds. Should you use this method, it is advised that you avoid having sex in the garden for a minimum of 6 days to allow the fuel to dissipate. If this is not a suitable alternative for you, you could always train your sheep to eat the weeds and leave the flowers alone.

Answer 3

Every year, I remulch mine and use the bagged up mulch. I just toss the bags into the flower bed, cut them open, and spread the mulch out over the plastic and leave the bag underneath (why buy expensive flower bed liners???). Take a screwdriver and poke a few holes in it. It only costs about $50-100/year to do the entire yard, and I never have to pull weeds.

Answer 4

If you have a bed that isn't dependant on re-seeding plants i.e. shrubs and the such, there is a prduct called Preen, it's a pre-emergant that will prevent weed seeds from germinating. it lasts for about 3 months.