You will need the help of landscaping companies in Lake Charles LA to keep your garden and lawn weed-free. In spring, we get many calls from our customers in southwest Louisiana, looking for help with weeds in their landscaping and rock gardens. If you have the same problem, call us on 337-313-3002 for assistance.
Your rock garden is no doubt the attention grabber in your landscape. However, weeds know no bounds. They creep into any space that they can find. It does not matter how careful you were with your rock garden because weeds grow anywhere. Unless you used landscape plastic under the rocks to kill the seeds before germination, you will always have to contend with weeds in your rock garden.
But the rock garden is not all that you have to worry about. Generally, you have to stay on the lookout for weeds in your entire garden. With the first hint of warm weather, the weeds start gunning for the same nutrients as your plants.
You need a good weed control plan
Contrary to what many people think, controlling weeds in your landscape is a very deliberate thing. You need a well-laid plan for the same. This is not an exercise to undertake without any preparation.
With the assistance of a professional Lake Charles lawn service, you can fight weeds effectively. The best thing is to plan your landscape in such a way that weeds will not grow easily. However, when you already have your landscape thriving, you cannot very well go back to the beginning to start over.
Mulching prevents germination by keeping light out
Many people who have gardens know the importance of mulch. It helps keep moisture in, which is very important during the cold and hot seasons. However, mulch also has another very important function.
It blocks the light from reaching the weed seeds. Since light is one of the most important factors for germination, when there is only darkness the weeds cannot germinate. The seeds just die.
Mulching is easy; you can do it without professional help. However, you may not know the right thickness of mulch to apply.
Is it two, three or even four inches? To take the guesswork out of the picture, get help from landscaping companies in Lake Charles LA. Remember, if there is too much mulch, it may prevent oxygen from reaching the soil and your plants do need oxygen.
Fuss with your soil only when you must
Tilling the soil is a double-edged sword. The reason for this is that the seeds of weeds will mostly germinate when they are above two inches on the top soil.
If there are seeds any deeper than that, when you till the soil, you bring them closer to the surface, where there are more chances of germinating.
If you already have grown weeds or dandelions that you must get rid of, use a knife blade to dig them out.
A slim blade is better because it will only cause minimal disturbance to the soil. Remember, even when you do not see weeds, their seeds are lurking under the soil, waiting to erupt as soon as the conditions are right.
Pulling the weeds out
Good ol’ pulling is as natural a remedy as they come. Man has been doing it for millennia. If you have a big lawn, the pulling will be a backbreaking job. Chances of succeeding are about 90 percent.
We say 90 percent because as you pull the weeds, some roots will remain and they will grow back after some time. Besides, pulling the weeds still does not take care of the seeds, which will germinate in due time.
You could combine mulching and pulling to control weeds much better.
Herbicides
Herbicides/chemicals are the quick-fix option. This is something that you should approach with a lot of caution, and with the help of landscaping companies in Lake Charles LA.
A single mistake in your product choice could lead to the death of your lawn plants.
There are three types of herbicides to use:
Pre-emergents –
They will kill the seeds before they get the opportunity to penetrate the soil. However, you will have to take chances because pre-emergent herbicides can kill your good seeds too.
Post emergents –
These are to be used when the weed has penetrated the soil. They come in two types. One of them is the contact herbicide that kills the weed where it comes into contact with it. The second type is the systemic weed killers that kill the weed holistically.
Chemicals are not the best option, but sometimes there is no other option. A professional Lake Charles lawn service provider can apply the herbicide for you.
Controlling weeds in a rock garden
It is ironic that the reason for establishing a rock garden was so that you could get rid of the weeds. However, weeds are sneaky and they always find a way to grow.
Thankfully, they will not grow in multitude as they would grow in other parts of the garden. Thus, even pulling them by hand can work.
However, when you spot some greenery peeping among your beautiful rocks, it means there could be more seeds lurking under the rocks. Thus, it is best to pull out the weeds and then take some measures to prevent the germination of more.
Here are a few methods for that:
Using salt and salty water – Only use this method if you are not planning to grow other plants in the same spot in the future. Salt is bad for the garden, so use it in a spot that you are sure will remain a rock garden for a long time.
Hot water – This is not a permanent method, but it works very well for the time when you use it. Blasting the rock garden with boiling water will kill all seeds that are within two inches of the topsoil.
Plastic – If you would like a long-lasting solution for weed control in your rock garden, you can consider redoing your rock-scape, and this time include landscape plastic.
If the rocks are too well established, this might not be an option at all. However, if you have a rock garden with small rocks, you can redo it so you can add landscaping plastic. That way, you will get rid of the weed problem once and for all.
Herbicides – With the help of a professional Lake Charles lawn service, you could apply herbicide to kill the weeds. Herbicides work, but you have to take care not to apply them on any plants that are growing inside the rock garden.
