In your garden, weeds are thieves. They steal sunlight, water, space and nutrients from your beloved plot. Beyond your backyard, weeds also pose significant threats to the Australian ecosystem.
According to the Australian Government’s Department of the Environment and Energy, weeds “displace native species, contribute significantly to land degradation, and reduce farm and forest productivity.”
In short, it’s vital that all green-thumbs take measures to reduce the impact and spread of invasive weeds to protect our native Australian landscape.
Regardless of where you live, in what climate or the size of your garden, here are some helpful tips for stopping these nasties in their tracks.
Prevention
It’s fair to assume that if you’ve read this far, you love gardening (guilty). It’s also fair to assume that you’re a regular at your local nursery. As exhilarating as purchasing a new plant may be, nurseries, landscaping suppliers and gardening services can all contribute to the introduction of weeds into your garden.
Prevention is always better than a cure, so these steps can help you to prevent a weed infestation in your garden:
- Purchase plants wisely. Ask your nursery about weed potential and which weeds are of concern in your area.
- Constantly check your existing area of any new weed growth.
- Remove any plants that are at risk of developing weeds.
- Dispose of garden waste carefully.
- Use mulch to cover any unused garden soil. Remember weeds are opportunistic and will invade any untouched or unplanted soil!
Identification
If you suspect – or know – that you have a weed problem, it’s important to determine exactly what it is and the best methods of control and management before reaching for the gloves.
Centennial Park’s Environment Office, Amara Glynn, recommends doing your research. “There is a great website called Weed Wise, where you can search what are weeds and what aren’t,” she suggests.
Alternatively, the Federal Government website has bundles of information readily available to assist you in identifying your unwanted garden guests.
Eradication
Regardless of the weed type or the level of infestation, the key to successful ‘weeding’ is diligence. Every, single, tiny part of the weed needs to be removed in order to prevent future flowering and further growth.
If you’re on the hunt for an organic herbicide, check out OCP’s Slasher Organic Weedkiller. Apply to the affected area on a dry day, and let it do its magic. Saves your back from all that manual-pulling and is a fast and effective means of organically getting rid of weeds in your garden.
Download our War On Weeds guide here.
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