6 Ways to Control Weeds Organically
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- čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
- Weeds are never fun in the garden. In today’s episode, we are covering 6 different ways you can control weeds organically. Hope it helps, happy gardening!
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7. Eat them. The vast majority of weeds are edible, and they're free. Around here, we've got dandelions, Creeping Charlie, purple deadnettle, bindweed, wild onions, field pennycress, wild amaranth, Queen Anne's lace (wild carrot) wild plantain, and narrow-leafed plantain.
8. Leave them be for pollinators. Very often the plants we consider weeds are the first to put out flowers in the spring.
9. Leave them as a distraction for pests. I already had deer come through once, but fortunately most of the damage was to the dandelions.
If the reason that you leave weeds to grow is for pollinators, you may instead choose to plant flowering perennials or herbs that will attract bees and other beneficial insects. For example, last year I planted borage, nasturtium, and calendula flowers around my tomatoes. Some plants will deter the insects that you don't want while others will attract the beneficial ones. (It is wise to check for "companion planting" guides when you choose what to plant together so that you don't accidentally stunt the growth of your preferred plant.)
So true I eat “weeds” all the time
@@DavidNHale I planted borage once and now fight it every year. It's supposed to be good in soup, but mine was not tasty. Calendula is also great for skin issues and Nasturtium is good in salads. I use basil and carrots for my tomatoes companion planting.
@@DavidNHale I bought a house with a big oregano plant that is a huge pollinator!
Poison ivy is delicious right off the plant
Thanks Luke! 🙂
Years ago, I came across something I call 'natural round up'. By adding orange essential oil to white vinegar, it's Very effective! Because I was using oranges in my morning smoothie, I put the peels in the blender with white vinegar, let it set over night and strained it off the next day. It even killed the tenacious wild blackberries coming in under my fence! It killed the creeping charlie/wild morning glory too! I pulled the weed and then sprayed the orange vinegar down the hole. If you're going to put it in a sprayer, strain again through a cloth.
Were the blackberries the Hymalayan kind or regular? I have Hymalyan. I swear nothing less than a blow torch will get rid of them--and that's iffy! Would love some new ways to kill the infernal things!
@@tthappyrock368 They were just the run-of-the-mill wild blackberries that grow here in the NW. 🙂
I had an allergic reaction to the stuff on the skin of a bag of oranges I bought. Guessing something bad was sprayed on them.
@@hoosierpioneer Maybe it's just me but if I know I'm going to use the peel or zest, I always buy organic. I wash them too.
@@trishthehomesteader9873 Glad to hear that.
Add a little dish soap (like Dawn) to your vinegar solution to dramatically increase its effectiveness. Great for poison ivy eradication. It works by cutting the liquid surface tension so it coats rather than beads. Water with dish soap kills a lot of insects like aphids and wasps.
Yes! I just got through a soil gnat invasion, and by putting a small container with vinegar, water, and Dawn it attracted hundreds of them! I also added a TSP of sugar, as recommended, to make it sweeter.
Excellent reminder! I often forget, a little soap added to the solution helps it sit on the sprayed surface better
I too add dish soap to the vinegar. And a cup of table salt to the gallon of vinegar. Poison ivy is the only one I spray. Thanks Luke for this video!
I also add a cup of salt, no water
@@ursulaserle7919 be careful with salt around the plants, it drains the water and also stays in the soil, like he said in video - not good for plants
Pull them by hand, its not work if you keep at it and don't let them get out of control.
That's what I do, its like a Zen thing for me.
Just me and my garden.
And I have a large garden, it keeps me in bliss for the whole summer.
I’m in texas struggling with climate and soil issues. Your passion for growing helps inspire me through all these challenges.
I enjoy this channel as well. A few others from whom I find inspiration are; James Prigioni (New Jersey), Huw Richards (Wales), and Charles Dowding (England).
Good luck with your soil :)
Best, Bob
You remind us so much if our youngest son. You are smart, do a fantastic job of helping us gardeners. Our son was also bullied in school. We didn’t even know until he had graduated from high school. Very sad! So it’s just awesome to see what you have made with your life. Our son is 23 and is still really struggling to find his way. Thank you for sharing and all you do!
I'd recommend a weeding hoe over everything. It's easy to use thanks to the long handle while the blade is perfectly angled to cut plants at the base. Plus you simply let the cut plants wilt, meaning you're not removing any nutrients. =]
That is called a scuffle or scuffle hoe.
There are the long handled ones and there are also small ones for close quarters.
Gotta keep them sharp though, I carry a file with me so I can hone it without leaving the garden.
I tend to just pull a lot of the weeds, but it’s certainly time consuming! I have 49 chickens running around all over my 5 acres so using any chemicals are out of the question to use.
But if I leave chickens in a small area for very long they’ll sure destroy anything growing on the ground for a while too!
Chop and drop! Best way
Weeds actually bring nutrients to the surface it’s great fertilizer if you let them rot or compost them
Luke, you always have great info to share thank you. Along with that, your smile and joyful spirit are such an encouragement in this crazy mixed up world. Thank you for that!
Thank you! Great tips and I am so going to use the salt method between the concrete sections on my patio! I’ll also keep in mind the vinegar if I get tired of pulling weeds elsewhere 🤗
❤️ April from Modesto CA
Along the lines of vinegar, I have used lemons after using them for lemon water, I take them out of my jug after their use and apply them directly on, in my case, thistles.. within a couple days to weeks they are dried up and gone. Just thought I'd share to add to the list! Happy gardening
Are you squeezing liquid on the leaves then?
@@danarzechula3769 actually I just put them directly onto the thistles!
I didn't know #6! That's super cool! I knew the salt one but always dismissed it because i was thinking specifically about the garden but I never thought about using it on patios or the driveway or anything like that!
Please don’t. It’s really bad for the environment. Consider that it gets washed away to places were it does hurt.
Salt is bad for soil.don’t over do it or try something else
What about poison Ivy? Would distilled vinegar or salt be good?
I'm going to try the vinegar method on an invasive tree species we have growing in the yard. For a much as we pull the tiny ones out there are few that seem to grow and have ball roots. We pull those out too, but nothing seems to help. Thank you for all your tips :) Happy Gardening!
Vinegar is not a magic bullet it will have to reapply at regular intervals.it will not kill the roots only the contact surface
What would you suggest for weeds growing wildly through shrubs/bushes? I've been pulling them out but now its out of control with work
English ivy! The bane of my existence! Plain old distilled vinegar doesn't touch it. I am now using an industrial 45% strength vinegar, (compared to 8% from the grocers) and it makes mincemeat out of it! Be very careful you don't come in contact with it. Use goggles and gloves...and don't breathe.
Another method I have used is smothering, which works very well in large areas. I get a lot of Chewy boxes! Before leaves drop in the fall, I lay out the cardboard and water it. I encourage leaf drop in that area. By time spring rolls around, I have a lovely, clean slate to start planting. I've also never seen so many earthworms in one place!
Thank you for this video. Awesome...The weeds are my biggest problem with a bad back.
Great discussion topic. I have creeping Charlie that I have been fighting with via physical removal but I just recently tried some borax and vinegar spray which helps burn the leaves like you mentioned👍🏾.
My go-to method for weeds is boiling water! As long as there's nothing else I care about around, pouring a kettle full of boiling water will get rid of most weeds. Works specifically well on crevices or next to walkways. Probably kills soil life but that recovers quickly. No chemicals, no cost.
Thanks! I can attest to salt and vinegar working. Salt can also help break down old stumps from bushes, etc, without affecting the surrounding area if you drill holes into the stump, stuff with salt then water in, being careful not to spread the salt.
I just googled the cornmeal method and it can also kill ants. I'll be giving that a try starting today.
Great information Luke. Thanks. I got to remember this one
What would be awesome is if you could show before and after of the weeds using all 6 methods please
His yard doesn't have enough weeds, I'd recommend he come to my house for the tutorial. I could also direct it, I'd make sure to get lots of shots, just to be sure we had a really great video!
What happened to Roots Shoots and Coffee? I don't get notifications anymore, I checked and am still subscribed, and no new episodes on the playlist.
Awesome ! Thanks for the info. Try to stay organic, but have had wild violets take over 25% of the yard. Hard to remove them without alot of bare lawn !
Violets are good to make violet flower jam with.
@@goatkidmom Thanks, I've heard you can eat them, I'm assuming you use only the flower ? Knew you could make dandelion tea or wine.
Perfect timing. I'm getting ready to go after my thistle with 30% vinegar and cardboard.
Hey Luke, I was wondering if you've made any videos covering how to protect your garden from severe winds and possibly hail? I see that we're do for some severe weather in the mitten later this week and it has me a bit worried.
Yes! I'm on a hill...Vary Windy all year long!
I'm in a very windy area, with canyon winds that create a funnel effect. We protect our garden by using shade cloth or summer weight garden fabric over our raised beds.
Thank you! #6 is interesting, ill have to give it a try! I have been using 1 gallon vinegar + 1 TBS Epsom Salt +
Epsom salt isn't actually salt, it's magnesium sulphate, and many gardeners use it as a supplemental fertilizer because it provides beneficial nutrients for plants. I believe that Luke is talking about table salt in this video.
I love, love, love your video greetings! ..."What is going on everyone? Welcome to another very exciting episode, right here on the MIGardener channel". It drew me in for my very first CZcams, organic gardening video about 7 years ago. I've learned all I know about successful, organic gardening from you. I owe you a big Thank You!
Awesome! I use the cardboard method (paper animal feed bags work great too) and cover with mulch, ideally wheat straw to make it look pretty. It's also comfortable to kneel on. The vinegar is a new one! Also, I would love a video on different kinds of mulches, pros and cons. I've got wood chips on hand but I've heard conflicting info on whether that's good in the garden or not so I buy wheat straw. Love your channel!!!
thank you for the advice! I have small dogs and always looking for organic methods for weed control.
Solarization can be done with clear plastic, as well.
Super helpful, good timing. Smashed.
Last fall you planted a bed with onion starts as an experiment to see how they would grow come spring. Would love to know how they are doing.
Your smothering tip has me wondering if I should cover my garden with a tarp over the winter/early spring to avoid weeds springing up before I can even plant...
thanks for sharing your knowledge. i'm curious about thise things behind you. what is that. is it trees?
Great to know!! I've never heard of using vinegar or cornmeal/grits before!! I'm always learning something new with every video.
Your timing is amazing✨. This video couldn’t have come at a more perfect 🙉 time! I’m a 1st time gardener🌱 and I’m going the raised bed route, trying to make sure no hidden weeds will poke through the process🤞. I like how you gave options towards the same goal. I think I’m going to do what you did 😬. Yours came out nice and clean!
P.S. I bought a good amount of vegetable seeds and fruit from your website and I’m so eager-excited to plant! I just know it will require patience to do it the right way. When you get a chance, could you do a video about container planting for strawberries🍓, raspberries, or blueberries🫐 ?
I'd yr doing a raised bed I'd be doesn't have one, CaliKim just did a video a couple weeks ago. Cardboard is a must. You can add alot of wood /plant material/leaves to save on soil/potting mix. I'm sure he has a videos on Containers. I've container gardened for at least 10 years (Apt living) but have garden alot longer. Strawberries are easy. You can even plant in a hanging/balcony long basket. Doesn't require alot of potting mix. I've never done the other berries. I know Blueberries require acidic soil. I've started a new one this year of Rhubarb. Takes a couple years to establish.
@@angelaraum1545 Thanks Angela😀! I appreciate the tips! I have CaliKim’s book on Raised Bed gardening and it’s one of my favorite gardening books📚so far. I have some fallen branches (moisture) and fallen palm leaves🌴(mulch) that I’m plannng to add to my beds. The branches on top of the cardboard and metal cloth followed by bagged organic raised bed soil and the broken up palm leaves for top dressing . I also got good quality bagged raised bed soil that I plan to mix with compost, coco coir, and vermiculite. Not sure if that is the best route to go🤷🏻♀️?….
I also got the book, “Raised Bed Gardening for Beginners” by Tammy Wylie, and it’s a also a great supplement. My goal is to have an heirloom organic seed garden-that’s how I found @MIGardener! I live in sunny Florida🏝, zone 9. I learned how to make compost yesterday. Do you have a preferred method of composting? I’m wondering if a cedar 3x3x31” would be a good idea to make it in?
@@silvermint5281 I only compost in a really big grow bag. I'm sure it doesn't matter the size as long as you have to ingredients. I do the fast way (not hot). Usually within 6 months. I have everything ground up (blender all my trash veggies/fruit) use my dried leaves, paper. Sometimes I add some old soil, blood meal can help break it down faster.
@@silvermint5281 If yr wanting to save $ on the potting soil/raise bed soil you can essentially make it yrself with Coco Coir/Pest Moss (So hard to find Coco in large quantities) compost, (sometimes cites give a away for free or low charge)Vermiculite (if you can find in large quantities) or Perlite (that's the only one I can find in a 1 cubic ft), then I always add some Worm castings. Worm castings is very good for the biome. Good luck. I'm in Midwest, StL MO.
Just what I needed! Getting out there and tackling weeds will be much easier now thank you!
So proud you are from MI. The mother in me coming out.🌝
I've had a problem with bind weed what do you recommend ? I've heard of people using vinegar as fertilizer good or bad idea ,enjoy your videos great job.
Eat it. Bindweed is a member of the morning glory family, which includes crops like sweet potato and ong choy (Chinese water spinach). The leaves of all these plants are edible.
Hi Luke, love your channel. My neighbor has a company to keep her weeds (namely dandelions) down, does that mean I can’t forage my dandelions because of the chemicals?
Great video Luke! All the best... Blessings :)
Tip for making videos better. If you're settings are manual put the ISO on auto to compensate for the clouds interrupting the sunlight.
You forgot the 7th method. Tiger torch on a propane tank, scorch with fire, even things like canada thistle will over time die out as they can't thrive after being burned a time or two, torch the flowers as they don't only reproduce through rhizomes, but they spread seeds through the flowers. It's the only way I was able to control a massive infestation of canada thistile and chick weed in my garden, both were killing everything off by their thriving.
Haha just torch 'em - fun fast and effective
Thanks for these tips! Exactly the right time for them.
Did so much weeding this week and they’re already coming back. Going to try the vinegar. Great tips! Will this be okay to use on that creeping Charlie when it’s growing on the lawn or will I wind up killing the grass also?
As far as I know. Vinegar isn't picky and attack everything. But just so you know it is lethal to bees. So be careful
My worst is creeping ground cover. It was already here when I moved 3 years ago. But I container garden.
Well I appreciate this information. I need the weeds gone. In an area not for crops. So, I am open for suggestions. Also I failed at growing my garlic from last fall. The bulbs rotted, I placed them in containers. So a disappointment but I will try again. I ordered from you.
thank you for all of your videos! it's always very helpful and entertaining.
I will say smothering can attract snakes so becareful if you pick up the tarp
Which way is the best for creeping Charlie? I have that everywhere, grass and in one of my flower gardens. Thank you for your videos.
As a rancher ... my control od thistles et. al. is always walking my cattle with either a hoe or shovel in hand, true the one time will not kill ... my success near o thistle on near 600 acres
Can you do a video for other pests, such as rabbits, squirrels, or even neighborhood dogs?
Solarization this year for our garden, the bindweed has been such a pain for 5 years and we already have nutrient lacking soil. I have nothing to loose but weeds!
Hi Luke, I am about to attack some poison ivy with the vinegar but wondered if I need to be careful with the sprayer I use. Once done, could I use baking soda solution in the sprayer to make sure there are not residual results when I use that sprayer again on my garden plants? Or do you think a thorough rinse and run water through the delivery wand will be enough. If so, I may buy a $7 sprayer like at Home Depot for just vinegar use.
Great information.
Geez…do I need this video!! tks Luke
Are there any updates on that old tomato variety you revived?
Would you ever consider doing a video on vegan friendly fertilizer and pest control? I'm not vegan, but vegetarian, and using things like bloodmeal and bonemeal make my skin crawl. I do it anyway, but I'd love to find something comparable, affordable, and which doesn't make me gag 😕😬
Dude you're killing plants when you eat them
@@danarzechula3769 imagine thinking that was a clever response.
Thank You!
@MIGardner - what do you recommend for a large pumpkin patch with extensive weed growth between the pumpkin mounds?
I solarized an area of my yard over May, June and July. I put a 6” raised bed over it. Violets still came up. Tougher than nails.
When you pull weeds, do you put them in the compost pile? Does it depend on the type of weed or if your pile is hot or covered?
Would cornmeal work on things like creeping charlie or other "Rhizome" type spreading weeds? You're a wealth of information and can't wait to solarize my patio! We'll see how it goes. :)
Blessings... Your advice is always useful... great job!! ...
Question - unrelated to topic, but I'm trying my hand at backyard gardening ... butternut squash and cantelope young plants have female flowers but no males so I'm losing plenty young fruit... also no pollinators in area... live in tropics... Any advice please??
Awesome! I'm going to try these!
I have issues with soapwart...I have tried vinegar and smothering no luck. I am really hoping that cornmeal will work.
Random but important question… I bought an apple tree 🌳 and planted it in the ground. It started blossoming really nice. But then we got a real bad heat wave over a week and my blossoms have shriveled up and leaves drooping. Haven’t seen any sign of new growth yet even after watering. What should I do??? I also live in Michigan for weather reference
Can you talk about growing potatoes in bags. Your method looks different then others . Pleas help fast I need to plant. Ontario Canada
Himalayan salt will make strawberries pop in flavor every sweet has soke salt as well it brings out flavors more
Luke we have Nutsedge all over our garden. We planted directly in the ground last year, our first ever garden but all the rain rotted most plants but the Nutsedge thrived. We have built raised beds this year but the Nutsedge is everywhere. Any ideas??
Does the vinegar effect the soil and anything planted there in the future? Have burmuda grass that's a total pain to keep at bay.
Thank you so much.
9 times out of 10 you can't dig Canada thistle out completely. The only solution that sticks I've found is cut the top off as they sprout , and sprouts, constantly until you wear out the energy underground it will go dormant again. The root system is known to go 20 feet deep .
Can you do solarization in Michigan in the winter? Will that heat up the soil so much to kill the beneficial bacteria and fungi during the winter?
#7 - If you edge your garden and create a 3 to 4 inch shoulder you can prevent grass and other rhizomes from getting in.
Depending on what is 3-4” away. It’s nothing for my warm weather grass!
How do you get out bind weed? And you didn’t include using the screening type ground cover and then planting through it? I would appreciate a comment on both
I have creeping charlie in my lawn and garden...will the vinegar ruin my grass too?? What do you recommend, if not vinegar?
Will cornmeal kill tree seedlings? The squirrels are planting and we're pulling but pulling them up leaves a perfect place for grass and weed seeds to grow.
Thank you from Alabama
I have a recipe for weed killer that calls for a cup of salt and a little dish soap. Is that bad? It has been very effective.
I have weed and grass pressure you better believe I’m covering in the fall thank you
Thank you so much for this valuable video! Do you recommend a certain type of salt?
My worst enemies in the garden are the Canadian thistle and the Stinging Nettles (no worries y'all I have a field FULL of stinging nettles I can pick from lol). They are painful and get real big real fast all throughout my veggies, and I can't go barefoot either because of them. I have other kinds of weeds of course, but these are the worst.
That being said, I spent a couple months pulling up entire rhizomes of young nettles before they could put down much roots. As a result a huge portion of my garden is mostly eradicated of them. At this point I pull them when I see them.
Also, I am mowing my garden way down to basically crowning it this year, which prevents the plants from photosynthesis (and from going to seed, etc.). I am still working on making my in-ground beds and this helps a great deal.
Another thing is, I didn't till this year, because of all the rhizomes in the ground of all different kinds, and because the soil needs to be held together and prevented from getting too hot. When tilling, you chop up all those rhizomes, each of which make their own huge network of weeds, and making it all worse. So, in between beds I just keep stuff there to prevent erosion and such, mowed down closely.
In the beds themselves I keep a few weeds here and there, but I make sure they stay small. What we plant benefits from other things that grow around it (like companion planting, only with the local wild stuff). Plus there are some weeds that are edible when young. Throw some lambs quarters and purslane and dandelions in with your salad and you're good. Plus, again, their root systems help hold the soil together. You keep the weed population light enough and your plants don't have to compete much.
I am definitely going to try the vinegar for things I still really don't want at all.
I am going to try a borax and water solution on creeping Charlie this weekend . There is some research that says it is effective. Hopefully it works.
I have a garden full of CT!
With all the ongoing food shortages, I'm finding it practical to not mow my lawn this year and neither are my neighbors- or use Roundup on the weeds with all the wild garlic and onions and dandelions - food all around us, edible plants aplenty through the wonders of organic gardening - using eggshells, banana peels and coffee grounds. I'll bet at least some of those weeds would make a nice salad - accompanied by some nice pan roasted sunflower seeds . Plus, by not running a lawn mower, or using pesticides, I'm contributing less to the waste stream helping to preserve our precious planet. We're also leaving a couple of vacant abandoned houses alone - so that we can forage from those yards as well.
Both vinegar or salt usage is forbidden in Europe even for commercial conventional growers. Both effects the environment in the long term. Vinegar might disintegrate quickly, but in the concentrations it kills weeds it kills insects and small animals too. So any frog or toad hiding will be killed or insured. And this animal might be you. Spraying distilled vinegar without goggles might insure your eyes severely. With a bit bad luck, you might turn blind. Moreover, using herbicides on pathways is considered off label usage and again actually forbidden. I do appreciate that the legal frame might be different in your location, but nature is not.
I have wild garlic that is a pain to manage. I won’t be digging the bulbs up because that would involve moving about 40 tons of rock! Looking for other methods of removal.
You forgot the torching method, it works quite well
Good idea!
If you have a dandelion living in a crack in pavement and you want to remove it easily, pour boiling hot water on it. Good method of spot treatment. Lol, I loved your suggestion of vinegar, salt, or cornmeal but I'm also a cheapskate. The cost of everything has gone up over the last 2 years. I could see myself using any one of those methods for multiple weeds but for a single weed, boiling hot water will do. I have well water so it wouldn't cost me much aside from the cost of energy to warm the water.
Does lemon juice instead of vinegar work?
I live in a Place in Italy where wild plants are the hardest to remove. I have like 10 different kind of wild climbing plants and they all live together and grow very fast, covering and killing all the garden in no time. 1 week of groth and all my garden get covered. Using the hand Is painfull becouse some plants are barbed.
I have a personal method that i learned with esperienze to remove grass, it's like your, covering the soil, but with mulch made of degraded leaves, well or simply with leaves like many do. It's the easiest and the best to mulch the soil for the next year.
The other methods can damage the soil , so for gardening this one is always the best.
I have tried fir two years using that salt vinegar and dawn weed killing solution. Put it in a sprayer and spray everything. Some will die but most don’t unfortunately
Boiling water kills small, annual weeds coming up in your paver walkway. Thanks for your other tips. (I’ve also used dill pickle juice instead of discarding it down the sink.)
I cant believe i forgot about vinegar. If the rain ever stops i am definitely going to need it for my pathways. All this rain has given my weeds a second and third life.
I cover my garden every winter with black plastic to keep,it weed free.
I’m looking up bulk cornmeal as we speak
I've heard that solarization also gets rid of nematodes
My two most bothersome weeds are quackgrass and creeping bellflowers.
We battled to reclaim an area in Michigan overtaken by bindweed. Took several years to get it back into viable production organically. Not certain it was worth the effort...
We have bad thistles this year in areas we had it irradiated. Strange