This post is about the number one task in the garden as spring rolls around and it’s not the flowers! Organic weed control is the biggest problem to tackle effectively. Take that x 10 when dealing with weeds in rock gardens. I have a preference for natural mulch pathways but inherited a pretty extensive rock pathway through my garden from the previous owner and I have come to appreciate the beauty of stone against the natural surroundings along with some of its advantages.
So when is rock a good solution? It is a great solution for drainage issues. We have had a lot of rain this week and the rocks do provide a great drainage path around the house. The stone steps are also great for getting around since the terrain is a bit steep. The one thing that is really difficult though is the little weeds that crop up between all of the rocks. I know that someone might point out that placing landscape fabric beneath prevents the weeds. It does and that was definitely in place in the beginning.
The dirty little secret that no one ever tells you when designing a rock garden is that landscape fabric disintegrates over time and then you are left with a dilemma. Replace all of the rocks and redo it all again or find a way to rid your paths of those increasingly common weeds that pop up between the rocks. For many replacIng all of the rocks is NOT an option. This post is for those of us who are not willing to go that route so here are the effective ways to get rid of them.
Choose a Sunny Day
All of these methods work best if you plan to weed on a sunny day. The heat of the day increased the effectiveness.
Pulling Them Out by Hand
My grandmother used to have a really cute small garden in the back of her house and I can remember her first chore every morning was pulling the weeds out by hand. That diligence seems to be the key to this method. You really have to stay on top of it to keep it from getting out of hand. It was effective and kept them at bay since the roots were removed. It is ,however, pretty labor intensive even when you stay on top of it. It is also a better method for planting beds as it is sometimes difficult to get the roots pulled up between rocks. Using a trowel can be helpful but it still makes for some pretty hard work.
Hot Boiling Water
This was a method I read about first when I started researching solutions to the problem. It works but didn’t seem to keep them away for long. Also, it’s a real pain in the a__ to carry bucket after bucket of hot boiling water back and forth from the kitchen to the garden. Not to mention the possibility of scalding yourself if it spills on the way. No thank you.
Water and Salt
This method is pretty effective and you don’t need to have the water hot to the point of boiling for it to work. You can spread the salt and then water it thoroughly. I used rock salt. It just happened to be what I had in the garage for clearing the ice in winter. It works pretty well but requires a lot of rock salt unless you have a really small about of area to cover. I didn’t get rid of all of the weeds but that may have been because I didn’t completely cover the areas in question.
Industrial Strength Vinegar and Orange Oil
This solution was very effective when used on a sunny day. It must be industrial strength vinegar. Adding orange oil or epsom salts can help amplify the results too. Apply with the application sprayer during the heat of the day for maximum effects. It is also important to try to apply when rain is not in the forecast. Within 2-3 days the weeds are gone. Amazing. This method is really effective when applied several times during the summer months. A final note: this is industrial strength vinegar so use precaution not to breathe it in directly.
Invest in a Weed Torch and Burn Them
The most effective method I have found to rid the pathways of weeds for the duration of the season with minimal effort is with a propane weed torch method. It can be a little bit intimidating though if you are not familiar with torches. I have some art welding experience from my days in sculptural art welding (here is a throwback photo of me during a class at the Kansas City Art Institute). Note no gloves. Not recommended.
Having said that, using a propane weed torch is a pretty straight forward process. I don’t recommend the small propane models unless you have a really small area. The standard propane tank is enough to complete my pathways without replacement. It is a little inconvenient to have to carry it along as you go but way better than having to stop and replace the tank. This is just one section of my rock garden. As you can see
The most important advice is to follow the directions given carefully and adhere to all safety precautions. It is always recommended to wear eyeglasses or goggles to protect your eyes, gloves, and closed toe shoes when using a torch.
Conclusion
This year I did a combination of hand pulling, trimming with shears to clean up the overgrown ivy, and pruned the random tree samplings that appear every spring from all of the trees in the yard. Once that was cleaned up I used the torch to finish the job. This prevents new starts for most of the summer. Now I can spend time on the fun part, the flowers.
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