A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Plant pests and problems Garden weeds

I am trying to weed a very weedy garden - but don't really know for the most part, what's weed, and what's not. Does anyone out there know of a good place where I can see images of weeds?

The way I learned was to look around other places, waste places. If the weeds were self sowing out there, I probably did not want them in my garden.

I am also tackling with a weed-rich flower bed. For me, other than saving the roses and transplanting the bleeding hearts, I'm either trashing everything or killing it. From what I've seen in my own flower bed over the past couple of years, those are the only 2 things that I like from it, so the rest has got to go.

I tend to look at weeds a bit differently. If you like the plant then its not a weed. If you don't like it get ride of it. If your not sure keep an eye on it till it flowers just moake up your mind before the seeds set. Some people weed thistle out of their gardens and other people purposely plant them. Really any plant you want can be in your garden as long as your happy with it.

So true...we have creeping Charlie weeds here and I love it.

Ugh...we have Creeping Charlie here also. I hate it. It's taking over my grass...and I want grass!! I'm, going to try spraying it with vinegar to see if it'll die.

Jenn, I got this:
"Borax Solution for Creeping Charlie Control:

Dissolve 10 oz. Twenty Mule Team Borax in 4 oz. (½ cup) warm water.
Dilute in 2.5 gallons of water.

This will cover 1,000 square feet. If you have a smaller area to treat, cut the "recipe" accordingly"
From here .

Call your master gardeners or local university agriculture extension agent if you have them. That is what they are there for and we forget to tap into that resource.

I am looking to lay a new lawn from seed I was considering digging down a foot or so, then laying a plastic layer then add my treated soil on the top to grow the lawn, is this a good idea? or am I just going to make myself trouble? I only need a small lawn about 2 meters x 5 and a half. So I was thinkig of building a retaining wall around to stop a slide effect, over here the rain is one day and plenty, then nothing for another month. I cant't see water logging being too much of a problem. bit I could do with a little helpful advice to any alternative to keep the weeds outta my garden, they have already destroyed 1 years hard work I don't wish it to be the same every year.

Thanks
DC

Soil has to drain well or you will kill your grass as well as cause yourself other problems. And even if it worked you'd still have to take care of your lawn because weeds are agressive plants and they would show up in a couple of years anyway. You might as well start out the way you plan to go. Develop good gardening habits now and keep them for life.

I don't like putting plastic in my yard. Have you thought about using cardboard or newspaper instead?

As far as keeping weeds out, you just have to stay ahead of them. There are products that kill weeds but not grass.