killing weeds naturally

[ericasl]

we built three raised garden beds and surrounded them with rock. we do not want to contaminate the raised beds using round up or another toxic weed killer. we would really like to be able sterilize the area naturally. what can we use? vinegar and salt? what ratio? or is there something else we can safely kill weeds and/ or sterilize the ground underneath the rock? :/

 

[digitS']

Have you already filled these beds with soil, Erica?

 

[patandchickens]

Do NOT use salt. Vinegar is not really appropriate either (better for spot treatment than large areas, will not necessarily work in 1 shot, and has no residual action).

Is it just under the rocks bordering the beds that you're having problems? Remove the rocks, remove the weeds by hand, then (ideally) replace the rocks with something else like cedar logs or landscape ties. Then use a combination of hand-weeding and a weed-whacker (=string trimmer). If you want to keep weeds/grasses away from the base of the beds (that is, don't want grass growing up to the logs/ties/rocks/whatnot), then remove the weeds and grass from the area and put down a narrow strip of used carpeting you pick up from the curb on trash day, and cover it with mulch. It will still require periodic hand-weeding and you may have trouble with the lawnmower chewing at the edge of it, though, so frankly I'd recommend making it so you can just run a weedwhacker along the edging material itself and be done with it, much faster.

If you insist on using rocks for edging, you will simply have to roll each rock away a coupla times a year to get at the roots of weeds that have crawled under them; rocks are really not the most practical edging for raised beds. The roots of weeds will crawl under other things (logs, ties, etc) as well, but not nearly as much because there are no gaps like the gaps between rocks, and it is MUCH easier to tip one log or tie out to weed under it than to do it with a dozen rocks

Good luck,

Pat, who admits to having rocks around the flowerbed nearest the driveway, because they're the most functional edging there (car- and snowshovel proof, and will curve around the corner) despite the weeding issues

 

[ericasl]

Yes the rocks are around my raised beds. It sure looks nice. There are not a whole lot of weeds. It is my dh that is going nuts about the weeds and I really do not want a whole bunch of weed killer that close to my raised beds. I think just pulling them would be fine, but he would love to have a quick easy fix!! HE LOVES ROUND UP!! I do not want to use it. So we were looking for something not so toxic?? I think it is a dream! Thank you.

I have no weeds in the beds themselves.

 

[S0rcy]

Round up will work, for awhile. But unfortunately it does become useless after using them on the same weeds time after time. Remember that though Glyphosate may break down, it takes time and this gives the weeds time to adapt to the properties that remain where they are in the soil profile. Not all of the round up is as movable through the soil as nitrogen is. Where we have to apply nitrogen after nitrogen because it gets washed away, weeds will learn to "recognize" Round up by the action of the glyphosate that sticks around in the soil.

A layer of landscaping cloth between the rocks and the bed may be some help, or a thin layer of cement between the rocks to "glue" them together. I sure wish I knew the methods of those temple builders who could make blocks of stone fit together like gloves!

One more idea; to choke out the weeds, put some soil in between those rocks and plant what YOU want there instead of letting the weeds do what they want. small mossy/perennial plants or "stepables" as they are called ( http://www.stepables.com/ ) can give you a nice view without the "creepiness" of weeds!

 

[whatnow?]

I find that the invasives are the first things to come back after an area has been hit with roundup.

Have you thought about trying to plant a low (groundhugging) groundcover in the rocks? In other words, remove the opportunity for the weeds by filling the space. If the raised beds are young, then it might look weird until the garden fills out.

There's always the flame weeder if the weeds are scarce.

 

[Lettuce Lady]

I find that the invasives are the first things to come back after an area has been hit with roundup.

My neighbor told me that the previous owners sprayed roundup everywhere which could explain why my yard is made up of creeping buttercups, milk thistle, dandelions with very little grass or clover.

Straight vinegar works to spot treat and it's cheap. I use it in the driveway.

 

[sandyullom]

I know this was a year ago, but if anyone is still there, what kind of vinegar works best - anything in particular?

 

[lesa]

I fixed this problem by planting allysum along the inside edge of the rocks. It very quickly grows over the top and spills beautifully over the stones and hides a multitude of sins. A few times a summer I weed eat right up next to the rocks. Keeps it looking natural, but still neat. Sorry, I don't know anything about vinegar...

 

[Lavender2]

Link to some good vinegar info - Vinegar for weeds

I have tried regular household vinegar and it is affective on some weeds. It is not quick, however, and I think boiling water works just as well. If appearance is an issue, it takes a while to affect the weed and the dead brown weeds will still need to be removed.

Corn Gluten Meal is an organic pre-emergent weed control, however it is not effective on grasses... and you would have to be careful using it around areas where you plant seed you WANT to grow... like vegetables...

I have natural rock borders on a few of my gardens, I love the look, but yes, what a pain to keep them tidy! I have thought about placing landscape edging in front of the rock and filling the space with a ground cover, as lesa suggested.... sort of a double border, but pretty... :happy_flower