How to get rid of weeds for good?

[Mohsen]

I am just giving up pooling up weeds in my gardens...they just come back stronger...I put mulch there but still they are coming

I want to use Roundup but I am afraid that would accidentally kill my palms and other plants as well? If I can use it, what type of Roundup is more suitable?

Any suggestion would be much appreciated  

[trioderob]

buy powdered roundup - its extremely less expensive that way.

the powder is dangerous - keep away from kids and pets

 

[Josh-O]

How deep are you mulching? it just looks like there are scattered bark chips?

to mulch effectively you need to lay down at least 3-4 inches thick to do ant real weed suppressing.

 

[Pip]

That weed is onion weed it is very difficult to remove without resorting to chemicals. The bulbs need to be killed. I'd wrap the palms in news paper or plastic to act as a barrier then spray round up. Wait a few minutes for the round up to dry onto the weeds before removing the barrier from the palms.

[Kostas]

Just keep weeding for 3years without letting the weeds seed. Then you will be clean and weeding needs minimal. The mulch will weaken the weeds and make pulling them much easier. Worked for me, never sprayed chemicals

The shade from the palms will help as well

[pigafetta]

It's easy to spray without getting over spray just be careful and spray low and close to the weeds and don't try to get too close to your palms, after a week or two then just come back and weed by hand the weeds very close to the palms that you couldn't spray or even better pull these out first so your not tempted to try and spray to close to your palms, and always spray before weeds are seeding...oh and avoid spraying if the plants are wet or if its going to rain or if its windy.

IMO a combination of a good thick mulch, a regular spray of weed killer and pulling weeds by hand is the best and never giving up.

[Mohsen]

Thanks all for useful advises ...

the mulch is not thick enough I guess...

i like the wrapping idea, thanks Pip

are they coming back after I kill them by spray ?

[Pip]

There is most likely a bank of weed seeds in your soil. Persistence with every method everyone has mentioned and you will get on top of them. My annual battle with yellow oxalis (sour sop) is just beginning now cooler weather has returned. I think of these weeds as botanical herpes.

[Mohsen]

  On 4/17/2016 at 11:51 AM, Pip said:

There is most likely a bank of weed seeds in your soil. Persistence with every method everyone has mentioned and you will get on top of them. My annual battle with yellow oxalis (sour sop) is just beginning now cooler weather has returned. I think of these weeds as botanical herpes.

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Thanks Pip,

yellow oxalis  is among the worst with the onion ones...

[Silas_Sancona]

  On 4/17/2016 at 11:51 AM, Pip said:

There is most likely a bank of weed seeds in your soil. Persistence with every method everyone has mentioned and you will get on top of them. My annual battle with yellow oxalis (sour sop) is just beginning now cooler weather has returned. I think of these weeds as botanical herpes.

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Agree, and with weedy plants that arise from Bulbs or other underground features, you have to be sure that you get rid of,.. kill,.. even the smallest parts since it only takes one small offset to start the battle all over again. We had that Oxalis( called Bermuda buttercup there) species all over the place back in CA and the only way i found to effectively eradicate it was to remove soil down to the level of the corms. Another option, once you get the worst of the weeds under control is to spread a pre emergent to retard additional seed growth.

As far as Roundup, it has it's weaknesses. It rarely completely killed the Nut sedge and Torpedo grass we battled at the nursery i worked for in FL. Torpedo grass can form runners that dive 4' into the soil, same with -bleepin'- Mexican Petunia.

 

[Hammer]

I suggest a layer of compost or chicken manure on top of the soil.  Then cover the ground with news paper or cardboard.  Be sure the news paper is not glossy and the cardboard is clean and not coated with stickers or any glossy print 

Once the cardboard or paper is covering the ground, add a healthy layer of mulch.  This lasagna layering approach will allow water through, will allow oxygen and will decompose, feeding the soil and earthworms all while smothering weeds.  You will be shocked at how long it stays clean and weed free.  And all without chemicals.

Be sure to keep a decent ring of NO  cardboard or mulch around plants you like.  This will ensure water and oxygen exchange will be maintained. 

I have used this method here and it works amazingly well.  My soil quality has improved greatly too.

[Kim]

I recognize those weeds!  They are in my California garden.  I had never seen them before buying this house 3 years ago, and stupidly thought they would produce pretty flowers, so I allowed them to bloom.  No, the flowers are insignificant white things that then produce more seed which scatters in the garden.  Pip is correct, they are bulbs, and the main bulb will create dozens of tiny bulblets in the soil.  I first tried roundup, not so effective.  Then I did the cardboard and mulch routine, and they came up through the cardboard.  Then I tried digging, and that was more effective -- removed lots of bulb-infested dirt.  But they continue to reappear, and I mulch again, spray the roundup, and dig out the largest. They are tiny and weak now, I'm winning the battle, ever so slowly. You must never, ever allow them to form flowers.  Good luck, that plant is a nightmare.

[Mohsen]

thanks for all effective advises...the problem is all of this will need physical effort and unfortunately I just hurt my shoulder very badly last weekend when I was trying to dig nasty ground full of rock using a mattock to prepare a location for my palms...now I cant even move my shoulder...I think it's hurt seriously...   will see a doctor soon...so for now , weeds will continue their nasty business without any battle   

[DoomsDave]

That looks like Spider plant, the green form. The pics below showing leaves and flowers are of the variegated type.

I remember back when I was a kid in the 1970s it was the coolest pot plant you could imagine! Many hung in macrame plant hangers, with plantlets dangling from runners that would reach three feet or more. (A few people even tried smoking it. I didn't.)

It was hard to kill. If you put it in the freezer it would die.

The leaves are covered with a waxy substance which repels roundup. I have a few too, and will get pictures when I get home from the dark tower.

Kim has the right idea. Just slog to the slaughter. Yank, grub-with-spud, pull, toss, cuss. Repeat. Re-repeat. Re-re-repeat. Etc. Etc.

There are no magic bullets for this one. There are no sacred verses to chant.

They'll pop up through inches of bark.

 

[NorthFlpalmguy]

After weeding, try a long lasting pre-emergent herbicide to get the seeds as well.

[Monòver]

  On 4/18/2016 at 3:21 PM, DoomsDave said:

That looks like Spider plant, the green form. The pics below showing leaves and flowers are of the variegated type.

I remember back when I was a kid in the 1970s it was the coolest pot plant you could imagine! Many hung in macrame plant hangers, with plantlets dangling from runners that would reach three feet or more. (A few people even tried smoking it. I didn't.)

It was hard to kill. If you put it in the freezer it would die.

The leaves are covered with a waxy substance which repels roundup. I have a few too, and will get pictures when I get home from the dark tower.

Kim has the right idea. Just slog to the slaughter. Yank, grub-with-spud, pull, toss, cuss. Repeat. Re-repeat. Re-re-repeat. Etc. Etc.

There are no magic bullets for this one. There are no sacred verses to chant.

They'll pop up through inches of bark.

 

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This is Chlorophytum cosmosum. I think it is not the same weed. But it is similar.

[Funkthulhu]

Chem-Proof Bulbs!

 

[Steve the palmreader]

Oak leaves work well if don't want to spray.