Tips for Effective Weeding, Part 2

Last week, we talked about effective weeding techniques that make weeds less likely to grow back. This week, we’re looking at what causes weeds in the first place.

We can all agree that weeds are generally plants that pop up at random and mess with your carefully planned landscape design. But would a seedling from a maple tree or a cluster of Black-eyed Susans really qualify as weeds? Let’s take a look at the different types of weeds to determine what we can call a weed.

Types of Weeds

There are two types of weeds that will grow in your garden: annuals and perennials.

• Annuals: These are the plants that live out their entire life cycles in a single year. However, these weeds proliferate dramatically by producing a hundreds of thousands of seeds during that one short year. This makes them particularly difficult to keep under control. It seems as soon as you’ve pulled out these weeds another batch pops up! Crabgrass is a classic example of this type of weed.
• Perennials: These are the plants that hibernate during the winter and come back again in spring. These persistent weeds love wide, open spaces. The dandelion is a classic example of a perennial weed. These weeds not only come back year after year, but they also spread a huge amount of seeds to ensure there will always be new dandelions every year.

Types of Landscaping Methods for Effective Weeding

So, we know that crabgrass and dandelions are unwanted weeds, but what about the attractive weeds, such as maple saplings and Black-eyed Susans? The fact is, nature loves to grow anywhere it can. This can incorporate both wanted and unwanted plants. If you find wanted plants growing where they’re not supposed to, there are three things you can do. First, you could simply pull the plants out and be done with it. Second, you could dig out the plant, put it in a pot, and give it as a gift or utilize it somewhere else on your property. And third, if you like the way the unexpected plant intermingles with your landscaping, then you can just keep it there! As for unwanted weeds, there are two types of landscaping that deal with them.

• Open landscaping: An open landscape has lots of open space. This can be a flower bed with mulch between the flowers, or a big lawn of fresh grass. Providing lots of open space means that nature will try to fill up that space whenever possible, so you’ll likely get more weeds. However, these weeds will be easy to see and take care of.
• Natural landscaping: Natural landscaping is a type of landscape design that mimics the thick, lush environments found in nature. Filling up a space with lots of plants that are planted close together leaves little room for new weeds to grow. New weeds will be difficult to see and take care of, but there will be fewer of them.

There’s no “right” style of landscaping, and most landscaping incorporates features of both of these styles. The important thing is that you choose what works best for you and that you maintain constant vigilance for effective weeding!

Keep Your Yard Weed Free with Rhine Landscaping

Rhine Landscaping has the tools to make your pool safe throughout the year, so trust us with all of your landscaping and poolscaping needs. We have the expertise and knowledge to complete any and all of the landscaping projects on your list. For more information about our services, visit us online or give us a call at (410) 442-2445. For more tips on how to keep your yard and pool looking great year round, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Houzz.

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