Create the landscape of your dreams without spending tons of time pulling weeds. Get rid of weeds for good with a simple 2-step process.
Our 1890s farmhouse is nestled back off the road on a one-acre lot, right in the middle of a newer neighborhood.
Our yard butts up to 8 different neighbor’s yards, so landscaping has been a bit of a challenge (especially when neighboring weeds continued to invade our yard).
Years ago, we installed a wooden privacy fence (with several gates) to give our yard a bit more structure, to offer a nice backdrop to our flowers and shrubs, to make it easier to control our weeds, and (at the time) to keep our babies and toddlers safely within our property!
I never thought I’d be a “privacy fence” gal, but I have to say, I LOVE the fence!
Our yard will always a work in progress, but we are happy with the transformation we’ve achieved so far!
Related Reading: A Complete List of Plants in our Landscape
How we deal with weeds.
We get lots of questions about how we handle weeds in our yard… and, while we currently have a pretty good system, we learned our lessons the hard way.
We spent years struggling with weeds all throughout our landscape — to the point where I almost wanted to dig up all our shrubs and flowers and just plant grass seed again.
Yikes — look at all those maple seedlings invading our planting beds!
And… this one was hidden behind a tall grass for weeks and weeks! 😯
We don’t have a perfect system as weeds are VERY determined, but after years of trial and error, we have a simple 2-step process (and a few favorite tools) we use in our yard with excellent results.
STEP 1. Eliminate Current Weeds:
If you’ve neglected your yard for quite some time, this initial step might take you a while — but there’s really no way around it. You must first eliminate the current weeds before you can move forward with prevention.
The simplest way to remove weeds is just to pull them out by hand.
I like using a weeding fork as it helps ensure I get all the roots out.
If you have large areas covered with weeds, you might consider using a weed-killing spray, like RoundUp.
You’ll use the weed killer (preferably a spray) to kill actively growing weeds that you can NOT easily pull out. This spray is great for driveway and sidewalk cracks, hard-to-reach places, or wide-open areas where you don’t need to worry about over-spray landing on other plants.
Depending on what type of weed killer you use, it may also have the capability of killing the plants you want to keep (like flowers, grass, etc.) so be very careful with your application, and spray only on non-windy days. We also often use a large chunk of cardboard or a poster board to block plants we don’t want to accidentally spray.
We usually break out our weed killer + sprayer every 3-4 weeks — mainly for the cracks in the sidewalk and driveway, for the edge of the road, and the “dead space” behind our pool that you can’t see, but we don’t want it to become overrun with weeds.
Suggested Weed Eliminating products:
- Weeding Fork + 5-Gallon Bucket
- Round Up Max Control
- Ortho Ground Clear Concentrate
- 2-Gallon Sprayer
- Round-Up Ready-to-use container
NOTE: I know some are not in favor of using chemicals… truthfully, I’m not either. But as I mentioned above, we tried lots of different techniques and these tips and tools are what give us the results we want. This vinegar-based weed killer worked OK for us in the past.
STEP 2. Prevent Future Weeds:
If you really want to save yourself a boatload of time pulling weeds each year, you absolutely MUST use some sort of weed prevention on all your planting beds.
Using weed prevention will save you countless hours (and so much energy) pulling weeds week after week after week. In fact, Dave and I spend very little time pulling weeds — only in our vegetable garden and a few random weeds that pop up throughout the summer.
We spread Preen on all our planting beds 4 times per year:
- Mid-March (when things start to warm up)
- Mid-May (after we spread our mulch)
- Late July
- Mid-October (this helps prevent spring weeds from popping up)
We also spread a fairly thick layer of mulch over all our plenting beds every other year. The mulch, along with the Preen, helps create a barrier that the weeds can’t break through nearly as easily as if the soil were exposed.
You could also use landscape fabric and decorative stones… but since I like to move my plants around every ,year, mulch is the best option for us.
Suggested Weed Prevention Products:
- Preen (I just stocked up at Costco last week — they have the best price!)
- Handheld spreader
- Mulch — color treated is more expensive but it will often last for 2 seasons.
NOTE: Weed prevention like Preen is created to prevent ALL seeds from germinating, so you will NOT want to use Preen in your vegetable garden or in any planting bed where you are trying to grow plants from seeds. They won’t germinate. You also will not want to spread preen anywhere close to where you are trying to grow grass seed as it also will not germinate.
Regular Maintenance is Key:
As with all things in life, regular maintenance is the key to long-term success.
It might take several months, or even a full year to get your weed situation under control, but once you are to the “maintenance” phase of weed control, things are SO much easier.
Here’s a general idea of what we do from March – November to deal with weeds:
- Mid-March = Spread Preen over all planting beds (20 minutes)
- April = Pull out any weeds that sprouted during the early spring (30 minutes)
- May = Spread mulch and another application of Preen (the mulch takes us a full week)
- June – October = Walk around our yard with a 5-gallon bucket and weeding fork to pull out any random weeds (30 minutes, once a week)
- June – October = Spray Round Up on Stubborn weeds (30 minutes, once per month)
- July = Spread a 3rd application of Preen (20 minutes)
- October = Spread a 4th application of Preen (20 minutes)
As you can see, we spend only around 30 minutes per week dealing with weeds for our very large lot with so many flower gardens and planting beds. A smaller lot with more grass and fewer mulched areas would require significantly less time.
The next time you feel overwhelmed by weeding just remind yourself that it probably won’t take as long as you think, and focus on my 2 simple steps:
- Eliminate the Current Weeds
- Prevent the Future Weeds
Oh, and try to enjoy your time outside too! (I like listening to podcasts while I work)
What are your best weed-fighting tips and tools?
Jil Marie Swearingen says
Hi Andrea, I am writing because I love so many of your recipes, cleaning tips and good life hacks. I’m a big fan. (Do you hear a “but” coming?)… However, when I saw your large and perfectly maintained yard and your choice of plants from everywhere but our country, I hit the brake pedal. I don’t mean to be insulting when I say that your yard is the postcard of what we are doing wrong here in America. It’s the look many many Americans think is the mandatory way we must create and maintain our home landscapes. However, these yards provide almost no ecological benefit and in fact, some are invasive non-native species that are spread by birds and other means to natural areas where people like me have to deal with their removal. Please take a look at just about any book published by ecologist Doug Tallamy (University of Delaware) https://www.udel.edu/canr/departments/entomology-and-wildlife-ecology/faculty-staff/doug-tallamy/ in the past decade or so and also check out the Homegrown National Park initiative https://homegrownnationalpark.org/ that he’s been a part of it. We all need to do our part to help our dwindling native birds and beautiful insects and gorgeous native plants thrive. You reach thousands/millions? of people every day and you are so smart and creative, you could work miracles on your landscape and have a huge impact on our amazing plants and wildlife. Nature needs us! Thanks so much for everything and for considering my suggestion. -Jil
Andrea says
Thanks Jill 🙂
Marilyn says
We have found that pouring boiling water on the weeds in sidewalk cracks/driveway works well.
Andrea says
We JUST saw our neighbor doing this yesterday and were wondering what in the world he was doing. Then I read your comment — and now it all makes sense!
Martha Osborne says
Do you break up or revitalize your mulch on the off year of putting new down or before adding new on top of the old?
Andrea says
We honestly don’t break up our mulch on the “off year” but we will often “rough things up a bit” before putting new mulch down. I don’t have a reason for why we don’t break it up in the off years (probably just because it’s “one more thing” to do!)
Heather says
After you use the Preen, can you set out bedding plants?
Andrea says
you can set out bedding plants even before you use Preen. The ONLY thing preen will affect is germinating seeds. So it will not kill existing weeds or plants, it will only stop weed (and plant and grass) seeds from germinating. So as long as you’re not growing plants from seeds, you’ll be fine!
Nancy says
I know this is an old post but I have to express my extreme dislike of landscaping cloth. It was invented by the devil. It’s expensive plastic you cover the earth with, it’s good for a couple years till fallen leaves make dirt and you still have lots of weeds. It’s always peeping out somewhere, looking so ugly and laughing at us. The previous owners used this heavy duty and lightweight stuff all over the place, our place is .75 acre. I’m constantly pulling it up because the weeds don’t care, they’re having a party and the stuff loves to show, it’s hideous. And they used these giant metal paper clip hold downs I know will put someone’s eye out when they’re mowing. Just when I think it’s all gone, I find a big patch. Ugh.
And I didn’t like chemicals either till we got goat heads. Now I’m all about Roundup. You can’t take a chance with goat heads.
Andrea says
haha — yes, I also dislike landscaping cloth! And, for the record, it’s an old post that I just updated and revamped this week — so you can comment 🙂
Carrie says
We have used a solution of salt, white vinegar and Dawn dish soap. It worked best for us if we mixed it in the Fall for Spring use. I’m not sure exactly why the premaking of the solution improves the outcome but we have areas of poison Ivy that were eliminated from using the premade solution…. This was huge for us as one of our children is a Poison Ivy magnet.
Andrea says
thanks for sharing, Carrie! We actually use something similar to kill the box elder bugs that invade our front porch every fall. Interesting that it works for weeds too (and that you need to mix it ahead of time!)
Erin says
Prior to doing these steps, did you have many thistles? I feel like that is my biggest battle. Agh thistles!
Andrea says
we do have areas of our yard that have thistles — and they are still a problem in the spring (SO annoying!)
they are better now that we’ve been doing weed prevention for years, but every spring, they pop up in one corner of our yard!
Wendy Heitman says
Hi there! I’m a new follower and reached this article via your most recent email link. I’m curious about whether or not you’ve found any alternatives to RoundUp or Preen. No judgement. We’ve used RoundUp for decades as we are an AG family. I’m just looking for a more natural method if possible.
Thanks!
Andrea says
Welcome Wendy!
Thanks so much for commenting and sharing a bit of your story!
We do still use Preen and RoundUP just because our yard is HUGE and we have a lot of ground to cover (literally!)
I’ve tried the vinegar spray and boiling water for weeds and it just didn’t work as well as I hoped (and the weeds kept coming back).
I totally get that it’s not ideal to use chemicals (and I am always looking for new natural sources) but for now, we’re sticking with RoundUP and Preen.
Since I didn’t have a great solution for you, I posted your question as on my Facebook page. You can follow along with the answers here.
Hope this helps!
Tammy says
Thank you for all your tips!!! I’m going to try your ideas on my next plan to deweed!! I’m older and my knees can’t take all the kneeling down as my back isn’t any better!!! So thanks again for the tips have a safe and healthy life! God Bless and Happy Easter
Andrea says
you’re welcome Tammy! Hope some of my weed tips work for your yard too!
Linda Bolt says
How did you figure out how much mulch you would need the first time?
Andrea says
When we had our landscape designers design the landscape, they told us how much mulch we would need. We will definitely get less next year as the plants are getting a lot bigger and we don’t need it as thick anymore.
I think, if you can measure the area of the planting beds, the company you order mulch from could tell you how much you’d need.
lyss says
Your lawn and gardens are always so beautiful! I don’t think our front yard even has any grass…it’s all just weeds! I know you’re cringing! Oh, well. At least it’s green, and when mowed it looks nice. lol. I’ve been working on the weeds in side beds, but they seriously got out of control. Definitely need to get a bunch of mulch.
I’m using a combination of pulling all the big ones, and spraying with a vinegar solution. (Vinegar with some epsom salt and dish soap) It does kill them, but I have to keep at it, because more weeds keep coming up. Perhaps roundup is more effective, but I refuse to use chemicals. I’ve read that salt or cornmeal help prevent weed seeds from sprouting. Maybe I’ll give those a try.
We have also been moving around a tarp to smother weeds in our large rock-covered area. You’d think layers of rocks would prevent weeds from growing. Ha! A dark tarp laid on the ground for a few days in the hot sun works really well. : )
Ruby Bee says
The glyphosate in products like RoundUp and Preen is harming us and our environment. I am a retired medical doctor and I never let my children or animals play in a yard treated with chemicals. A person cannot rely on government safety recommendations for about 3 decades now. 3 decades ago was when campaign finance laws began to be seriously eroded.
https://theintercept.com/2016/05/17/new-evidence-about-the-dangers-of-monsantos-roundup/
Joy says
Thank you for showing a weed stick! We have one because the previous owner left it. I never knew what it was
Carol says
Andrea, Roundup is really bad for the environment and people. Has been called a very probable carcinogen. I won’t use anything like that because of the grandchildren and our dogs. Please rethink what you are using around your yard. As for weeds, especially the ones in cracks etc. plain old vinegar works. Been using it for years. Don’t particularly like the smell, but it doesn’t last that long really.
Just my two cents. Love your emails.
Anne says
^^ Yes! ^^
The impacts of Roundup are really awful for human health, ground water, storm water/run off, and insects we really need (think bees and butterflies).
Nicole says
I’m really surprised to see you using chemicals like this. In our province they are looking to ban it because it is so dangerous.
Wilma says
FYI: In March, the WHO reclassified Round-Up as “probably carcinogenic”. There has been some controversy about this new label in Canada, but it is something to think about, at least.
Avia says
Great tips! I usually don’t mind weeding in the spring because I’m just happy to be outside but it’s torture the rest of the year. I have Preen but hardly every use it. I think it’s because I didn’t really understand how it worked and was always afraid I was going to kill my live plants. That it keeps seeds from germinating is a great bit of info.
Andrea says
yes! Preen PREVENTS weeds from germinating! I shouldn’t harm anything that is already established.
Brandette W. says
I am SO thankful for this post! We just built a new house and in March we worked so hard to put all the landscaping liner down and then new mulch, hoping to combat weeds!! So far, it has helped tremendously. But, I would love to use the Preen pellets you referenced. I just never knew how to use them. I thought if I sprinkled it on my flowerbeds, it would kill my existing plants and shrubs that are planted in there. My husband would kill me! I am really really interested in trying it. Do I just sprinkle it over my new mulch and it gets watered down into the mulch helping to prevent weeds from starting? I am very intrigued!
Ruby Bee says
Preen has glyphosate in it.
Marsha says
Andrea,
your picture of the weed, looks like Johnson Grass (Sorghum Halepence)
We have lots growing in Texas, along the roadsides and pastures.
very hard to control.
Love your yard.
Marsha
Andrea says
Thanks Marsha! I have no idea what type of weed it was — but I am glad it’s gone 🙂
Lynn O. says
Great post and great timing! I started using my weed stick a couple of weeks ago to pull up dandelions. It is so therapeutic! In fact it rained again last night so the soil is great for pulling more! Thanks for sharing.
Andrea says
It is therapeutic at times… especially when the kids are sleeping 🙂
Audra says
I wish we could use Preen as an option…..or even that bark that is treated with a weed preventer. We have two dogs who often chew on little shredded bark pieces. I’ve been told it can poison them to the point of death depending on how much they chew at one time. 🙁 We do spray the weeds in certain areas and then watch the dogs like a hawk for a couple days. 🙂
Andrea says
ah… one more reason we don’t have pets 🙂
Chris says
I was reading through the comments and saw this. Will you need to change things now that you have a cute little dog?
Andrea says
yeah… I don’t know! I’ve thought about this, but so far, we haven’t changed anything we do b/c of the dog. Our dog has eaten SO many gross things over the last 6 months, I feel like he must have an iron stomach! Maybe I’ll ask the vet about what to do with Preen and weed prevention as this will be our first spring with a pet. sigh… 🙂
Chris says
Yes, they can sure eat unusual things. Good idea about the vet. 🙂
Cara says
Your landscape is beautiful! Your hard work is defiantly showing! 🙂
Have you ever put Preen on top of the old bark before you spread the new bark? I am not getting new bark this year, would you still put Preen on the bark?
Andrea says
Yup, you can definitely use it on old mulch. You just always want to use it on TOP (whether it’s new or old mulch) because when it’s on top, it will get watered in and prevent weeds from growing!
Christine @ The Mostly Simple Life says
Preen is definitely helpful. Our yard was a disaster when we bought our house and we’ve been fighting it ever since. The garden beds are ok now. I need to do a bit more weeding but it’s not crazy. Our lawn is another story. No matter what I do the weeds get worse every year! Drives me nuts! 🙂
Chris says
Oh, wow! I don’t think I’ve heard of Preen. I want to start using that! Sounds awesome.
Andrea says
yes, check it out — it IS awesome!