When it comes to beautiful landscape beds, weeds can be a major source of frustration. Nothing takes away from a gorgeous plant bed like a bunch of weeds growing around your plants. Dealing with weeds can often feel like an uphill battle. You pull a few but they just keep coming back…and sometimes stronger than before! You just want an effective solution that will keep weeds out of your precious beds. Of course, you might be wondering How do I kill weeds without killing my plants? The last thing that you want to do is somehow end up harming your plants in the process of addressing weeds. In this article, we’ll talk about some effective control solutions that will allow you to remove weeds without killing plants. We understand that you don’t want to substitute one problem (weeds) with another (dead plants). For that reason, you might be looking for some advice on how to get rid of weeds without harming your plants. Let’s dive into a few considerations. One of the reasons why weeding often fails is that homeowners aren’t able to keep up with it. Weeds are incredibly persistent and weeding can be time-consuming. We get it! Your life is busy and the last thing that you really want to do is go out in your yard and pull weeds for hours. But regular weeding will help to boost the overall aesthetics of your plant beds by getting rid of eyesores. An effective way to remove weeds without killing plants is to pull them out by hand. Be sure to grab the weed at its base and pull the roots out, too. It’s not uncommon for weeds to break off at the stem with the roots still intact. If that happens, you need to dig them out. Certain weeds have really deep roots so hand pulling simply isn’t going to be effective. With these weeds, you might be better off carefully digging them out and trying to avoid disturbing plants around them. If you’re someone who really hates weeding, you might want to consider a professional weeding program. While weeding isn’t rocket science, it is definitely very time-consuming. By handing this landscape maintenance task over to a pro, you can free up your time (and save your back from this back-breaking work). There are times when hand-pulling or digging out weeds is simply not going to be effective. For one, there are some hardy varieties of weeds that are difficult to hand-pull and you might find that even the smallest remaining parts of the root cause them to keep coming back. There are also some weeds that are actually stimulated by hand-pulling and will grow bigger and stronger than before. For these reasons, an added layer of protection is the use of specialty weed controls. We also know that you are worried about how to get rid of weeds without harming your plants and you may be concerned about using weed controls. But the key is using specialty controls that will target only the weeds (and not your plants). Even so, these products should not just be blanket-sprayed across the entire bed. You want to take a targeted approach and only hit the infested areas. There are often different types of controls for different weeds, so you want to make sure the right product is used. A professional will make sure that the proper products are being utilized. Another weed control tactic that won’t harm your plants (in fact, it will help them) is mulching and edging your plant beds. Mulch can act as an effective weed suppressant by making it difficult for weeds to break through that added layer. Weeds won’t have access to sunlight. The key is to have just the right amount of mulch applied. With too little mulch, aggressive weeds can still break through and it will not serve as an effective barrier. One key tip: It’s important to weed beds before mulching in order for this to be a truly effective solution. A lot of mulching services will take shortcuts when preparing beds and simply dump mulch atop the weeds that are already there. But this will not smother weeds as many believe. Aggressive varieties will push right through the mulch. Thorough weeding should be performed prior to mulching to aim for the most possible success. Proper edging of your plant beds can also play a small role in keeping weeds out. A well-defined edge around your plant beds looks great. But it also creates some delineation between your flower beds and your lawn. This means there is a physical barrier for lawn weeds to cross to get into your plant beds. We commend your care and your effort in researching how to remove weeds without killing plants. But rather than trying to tackle all of this on your own, you might want to consider working with a landscape maintenance professional who can take on these tough tasks for you. After all, weed control in Alexandria, Arlington, and Springfield, VA can be a lot of work and you probably have much better things to do with your time. Weeding often ends up being one of those chores that get put off until it’s almost insurmountable to even begin. Instead of letting it get that bad, you can hand weeding over to a professional to tackle it for you. That’s important as weeds are not only an eyesore but can also be harmful to your healthy plants. Any weeds that invade your plant beds are automatically competing with your healthy plants for nutrients, water, and sunlight. They’ll try to do whatever they can to crowd out your desired plant material. But you can put a stop to it before it gets too bad. By choosing a landscaping company in Alexandria, Arlington, and Springfield, VA who can handle your weeding services for you, you’ll not only wind up with beautiful plant beds but you’ll be left with a lot less hassle, as well. At Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape, we offer flower bed weeding plans that can keep your property looking its best. You can choose from a monthly or bi-monthly program depending on what suits your wants and needs. While most companies wait until weeds get out of control, we take a proactive approach to eliminate the hassles and headaches on your end. At the end of the day, you have better things to be doing than to be spending your nights or weekends pulling up weeds! With this annoying task handled for you, you’re free to use your time the way you really want to, while still having a weed-free property that you can be proud to show off. Are you ready to give up your landscaping worries at your Alexandria, Arlington, or Springfield, VA home? If so, request your consultation, get your customized plan, and relax as you get the royal treatment.How to Get Rid of Weeds Without Harming Your Plants
The Importance of Regular Weeding
Get Control of Weeds with Specialty Products
Use Mulching and Edging to Your Advantage
Get Help and Gain Peace of Mind
FAQs
How to spray for weeds without killing plants? ›
Protect Other Plants
Spray for weeds when air is calm. If you must spray and the wind will not let up, look for a gel-type herbicide, or, if possible, paint or daub the herbicide directly on the weed. Use caution when spraying weed killer in beds with bulbs that have died back.
Clopyralid: Clopyralid is a selective herbicide effective against certain broadleaf weeds. It is often used in flower beds and ornamental landscapes.
How to kill grass in flower beds without killing plants? ›If you need to kill grass growing close to ornamental plants, you can apply a grass-specific herbicide that targets only grasses without harming garden plants. These products will kill most annual grasses, such as crabgrass and foxtails, as well as perennial grasses, such as nimblewill and quackgrass.
How to get rid of weeds in a flower bed? ›Young weeds have shallow roots that can often simply be pinched out of the soil. When weeds grow too large to pull out by hand, use a garden knife or hand weeder with a long, slender body to make sure you only cut the weed's roots, not those of your beloved flowers.
Is there a spray that kills weeds but not plants? ›Vinegar is highly acidic and contains acetic acid, which is an eco-friendly weed killer. Many gardeners use vinegar in a spray bottle, mixed with dish soap.
Can I use Roundup in flower beds? ›To deal with those unwelcome guests—and any other weeds that may pop up during the season—spot-treat them with Roundup® Ready-To-Use Weed & Grass Killer III with Sure Shot® Wand. The shield on the Sure Shot® Wand helps to contain the spray, so none of it gets on your beloved landscape plants and flowers.
Is there anything that will kill weeds but not flowers? ›Use Mulching and Edging to Your Advantage
Another weed control tactic that won't harm your plants (in fact, it will help them) is mulching and edging your plant beds. Mulch can act as an effective weed suppressant by making it difficult for weeds to break through that added layer. Weeds won't have access to sunlight.
Herbicide application must be done very carefully around landscape plants. Special care must be taken with broad-spectrum herbicides (those that will kill a wide range of plants).
Do you have to remove all weeds before mulching? ›This is an important step because just as mulch can help improve the health of your soil, it can also help weeds grow stronger if they're not removed. So, make sure you pull up and remove any visible weeds prior to putting down your mulch.
Does baking soda kill grass in flower beds? ›Baking soda is a non-selective herbicide, so unfortunately it could kill small plants and grass.
How to keep grass from creeping into flower beds? ›
To create a footing, dig a trench roughly four inches deep along the perimeter of your garden bed. Add cement to the trench and stack your first layer of stone or brick. The footing will keep grass from growing under the border, but you'll still have to keep an eye out for grass that grows up and over.
Why does my flower bed have so many weeds? ›The reason that weeds are so prolific is that it does not take much for them to survive. They can thrive with very little water. They also grow in any soil, even when the conditions aren't great. Weeds tend to grow faster and with more vigor than healthy plants in the landscape.
Does Epsom salt get rid of weeds? ›The Takeaway. To eradicate weeds effectively, the roots need to be killed, not just the top growth, which synthetic weed killers do successfully. The bottom line is that mixing vinegar with Epsom salts or table salt and liquid dish soap does not make a safe, effective weed killer.
Is there anything that kills weeds permanently? ›Flame weeding is a fantastic way to kill weeds permanently. It's as effective as herbicides and manual weeding and has many advantages. The heat boils water in the plant's cells, causing them to burst.
How to save plants sprayed with Roundup? ›Plants accidentally exposed should have affected leaves pruned off to prevent the spread of the herbicide deep into the plant. It may also help to water the plant thoroughly to dilute the chemicals. If left untreated, the plant will eventually die.
How to get rid of weeds in potted plants? ›Remove weeds in containers as soon as you notice them. Pull them up carefully, or loosen the roots with a fork or trowel. Try to get all the roots, and never let weeds go to seed or you'll have a real problem on your hands. The good news is that it's usually easier to pull weeds in potted plants.
How to get rid of vines in a flower bed? ›Pull or dig up the vines. If you can't pull the vines out of tall trees or other structures, concentrate on killing or removing the roots. They can't live without them. Use an herbicide as a last resort, and wear protective clothing and eye protection.