"the only difference between a weed and a flower is judgement" - Wayne Dyer
The picture above is one that I snapped from my front yard a year or two ago. While that may make many of you reading this blog post shudder, it makes me smile! My yard is full of wildflowers, or "weeds" as others may refer to them. Dandelions, speedwell, dead nettle, false geranium, burdock, wild garlic, violets, alpine strawberries, clover, chickweed, spurge, and more! My yard blooms, and brings seasonal pops of color with each flowering "weed."
For those of you who favor a more uniform look to your yard and also want to practice sustainable lawn care with limited chemicals and treatments, I would suggest sowing clover instead of grass. As a legume, clover builds and supports a healthy soil micro-biome. Clover "fixes" or creates nitrogen in the soil and can be sown in and amongst your grass. By sowing clover and grass together, you will no longer need to use a "weed and feed" product to support a healthy lawn. As a voracious grower, clover helps choke out other plants and feeds the soil with nitrogen as it grows. There are pink, red, and white blooming clovers to choose from. As a flowering plant, you'll also attract pollinators to your yard!
Beyond yard care, and thinking more towards our flower beds and landscaping, there are options for organic weed prevention here too. The best tools for organically managing weeds are your own two hands! Getting outside in the coolness of the evening, or early morning, for a bit of fresh air and exercise is a great time for a weeding session. Weeds are especially easy to pull after rain, so keep that in mind! When pulling weeds, be sure you get as much of the root system as possible, and try to pull them before the flower. In the flowers, are seeds, and seeds will grow new plants! Once you have pulled the weeds to your satisfaction, add a thick layer of natural mulch (dye-free) to help protect your soil from weed seeds on the move. A lot of "weed" seeds travel through a brisk breeze.
Weed barrier or landscape fabric can be a tool for you to consider as well. Just keep in mind that it is a semi-permanent solution and can be hard to change course once it's been placed with future plants requiring a hole be cut into the fabric. If you decide to lay landscape fabric, be sure to mulch over top of it. especially if you're using it in a high traffic area, to reduce tearing.
Another tool or resource to keep in mind is applying a super concentrated vinegar as a "spot treatment" on specific plants you are trying to get rid of. Use a 30% vinegar like this one in a clean spray bottle or pump sprayer. Use caution when applying this product. Do not use on a windy day. Do not breath it in, or get it in your eyes. Keep away from children. Thoroughly soak each plant with the spray in the middle of the day when it is hot and sunny! The vinegar will be more corrosive with the power of the sun. When you use a concentrated vinegar product, be super careful where you apply it. If the vinegar drifts or flows to other plants, it could negatively impact them.
Hopefully there's a new practice or solution to consider for sustainable lawn care and weed management after reading this article!
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