- Close planting
Close planting involves planting cultivated shrubs and flowers close together to prevent weeds from getting the light they need to grow. The result is a densely grown plant bed without room for weeds to thrive.
Pros: A chemical-free way to limit weed growth
Cons: Planting species too closely together can risk disease and unhealthy growth for your plants
- Mulching
Organic mulches, such as bark or wood chip, can smother established annual weeds. These weed controls solutions are most effective when an appropriate weed-suppressing membrane is laid first, topped with a 5cm layer of mulch around plants.
Pros: Helps maintain soil moisture by preventing evaporation
Cons: Best used in conjunction with other weed control methods
- Woven & non-woven geotextile fabrics
Breathable and porous geotextile membranes, such as Weedtex, Landtex and Groundtex from Growtivation’s Product That Works range of professional landscaping solutions, allow nutrients, water and air into the soil but prevents weeds from getting the daylight they need to grow.
Pros: Long term, highly effective weed control for different landscaping applications
Cons: Best laid when replanting or relaying an area
- Hoeing
Hoeing on a warm day will dry out weed seedlings on a plant bed, rather than allowing them to re-root in moist soil.
Pros: A quick and natural weed control solution
Cons: Only effective on weed seedlings and is time-consuming
- Chemical weed killers
Chemical weed killers offer an effective weed control solution, but are the least environmentally-friendly. Weed killers are being approached with more caution than in the past because of their environmentally-unfriendly properties and safety concerns.
Pros: Perceived as quick and easy to use
Cons: Plants and soil quality can be damaged
- Hand pulling
Pulling up annual weeds by hand can avoid them setting seed, while perennial weeds should be thoroughly dug out with a fork.
Pros: Easy and effective in light soils
Cons: Long and slow work, with deep-rooted weeds troublesome to remove in their entirety
- Repeated cutting
In areas with widespread weeds, repeated cutting to ground level over several years will weaken the weeds.
Pros: Can eventually kill the weeds completely
Cons: Requires long-term effort for good results
- Scorching
Using a flame gun to scorch weeds can be an effective method when weeds sprout between paving slabs and on driveways.
Pros: A quick fix for the odd weed or two
Cons: Deep-rooted weeds may still reappear
Growtivation’s wide range of professional landscaping systems means we have the right solution for all common landscaping problems.
Find out more about the Growtivation Product That Works range by downloading our Product Guide.and our Landscaping That Works guide to weed control and geotextile fabrics. Check out our handy Geo Fabric Product Selector to select the right geotextile fabric for the job.
To find out where you can buy Growtivation products visit our online Where to Buy facility or contact the friendly team at Growtivation for advice on 0800 197 8885 or email sales@growtivation.com.
