Tag Archives: weeds

15 Common Lawn And Garden Weeds-Guide To Weed Identification

October 28, 2022 Farhan Ahsan Leave a comment

A garden with a beautiful lawn and a few flower beds is an asset to a home a housewife will love to have. She will toil to nurse the plants and will take care of the lawn but there is one thing she will hate to see and that is weeds. These unwelcome guests will appear in your lawn and will invade your flower beds using up the nutrients you provide for your plants. The best thing one could do in order to control all types of weeds is to identify them and to use the right methodologies to control their growth and ultimately make the garden free of weeds.

The following are some of the common lawn weeds and ways to control them in order to minimize the damage caused to a garden by them.

1) Crabgrass:

This is an annual garden weed that thrives on warm weather. It will appear in early spring and is one of the most common weeds that could create lawn problems. Since this plant propagates mainly through its seeds the best thing to do is to remove the plants before the flowers appear. Using the organic pesticide of corn gluten meal in your garden could bring about good results as it will prevent seeds from germinating.

2) Pigweed:

This annual is a weed that spreads through its seeds. Therefore, you must remove it whenever it appears in your garden before it flowers. You can make it out easily with its taproot of red color. However, it is also good to remember that well grown plants of this weed is edible.

3) Chickweed:

There are two species in this common lawn weed. The annual common chickweed and the perennial mouse ear chickweed are the two. Both these have roots that won’t go deep. Therefore, if you see these weeds in lawn pull them with hand in order to get rid of them.

4) Morning Glory:

A common annual garden weed that spreads through its seeds. Its roots go deep and not easy to pull them off. However, the best way to eradicate them is to dig this weed before flowering so as to not to allow seeds to form.

5) Quack Grass:

Though spread by seeds this creeping perennial also forms a mat of rhizomes on the soil and new shoots rise up from them when conditions are ripe. This easy to identify weed has to be dug out with their rhizomes in order to eradicate them.

6) Buckhorn Plantain:

This is yet another grass weed you may find growing among the grass of your lawn. It is a hardy plant with slender leaves. Best way to get rid of it is to remove these plants by hand and to destroy them. It thrives throughout the year.

7) Dandelion:

This perennial plant has to be removed from the garden as it could overgrow your lawn. In case you are not able to identify it, you will certainly do when their yellow flowers appear. Remove them by hoeing or through pulling by hand. Corn gluten which is a good natural weed killer could be used to destroy their seeds in early spring.

8) Annual Sawthistle:

This is another weed you will probably find on your lawn. It grows up to about 18 inches in height and bears yellow flowers. Better way to remove these plants is to pull them off with roots.

9) Carpetweed:

This annual lawn weed spreads through its seeds. Its stem could have a height of about one foot. Hoeing or pulling plants as they appear is the way to get rid of them.

10) Large Crabgrass:

This is a weed that could grow on your lawn to a height of 3 feet. Though you could cut it to about 4 inches above ground level to prevent it from flowering, you must not keep it as weeds in grass will compete for nutrients. Corn gluten used early spring could destroy their seeds.

11) Poison Ivy:

This creeper is a dangerous species to have in your garden as it is a poisonous plant. You must remove it and burry or leave it in trash. Must not burn it as the smoke is also poisonous. Mulching with cardboard could prevent this plant from appearing.

12) Prickly Lettuce:

This common weed that grows up to 5 feet is easy to identify. Though it has the ability to attract useful insects it is one of the yard weeds you will find in your garden. Pull the plants away or cut their roots below soil.

13) Common Mallow:

If your garden is fertile this is one of the grass weeds that will appear most likely during summer. It bears white flowers and will produce a lot of seeds. It is not difficult to pull these plants away from your lawn to get rid of them.

14) Purslane:

This plant with fleshy leaves and stems will also grow well on well fertilized lawns. Since it grows fast it could soon be a nuisance if you don’t remove it from your garden. Pull these weeds out by hand and remove from your garden.

15) Common Cocklebur:

This is a plant that could grow up to 4 feet in height. It could poison livestock. Could be used as compost if removed before seeds are formed. Must pull them by hand and dispose.

Conclusion

These are not the only weeds that could invade your lawn and your garden as a whole. Lawn weed identification is the key to success in case you want to have a garden free of weeds.

Note: These plants are weeds as they pop up randomly as against your will so ruins your lawn beauty but on the other hand some weeds are edible that people like to grow such as Dandelion and Buckhorn platain to use in salad or for medical use.

Planting

10 Edible Weeds That Have Rich Taste and Nutritious Value

October 26, 2022 Farhan Ahsan 9 Comments

Most home owners and gardeners spend hours every summer killing weeds in their lawn and garden. They don over-the- shoulder canisters filled with chemicals, a mask and gloves every Saturday and head outdoors to do battle with their green enemies. But as those who fight this summertime battle already know, those little green enemies are a formidable foe and keep coming back again and again. Maybe it’s time to make peace with these plants and look at them from a new perspective. Many of these weeds we try in vain to kill are not poisonous weeds, but are actually edible. They can add a rich taste and nutritional value to salads, stir fry or stews, and best of all, they’re free for the picking. Learn the art of identifying edible weeds and give some of these 10 edible weeds a taste test, you just may discover a fondness for their flavor.

You may also like to check out: common garden weeds and natural weed killers.

1- Dandelions

With flat green green leaves that grow low to the ground and bright yellow flower that children can’t resist picking, dandelions are well known lawn weeds.

The leaves of these wild greens have a bitter flavor and the bigger the leaves, the more bitter the flavor. The flowers and stems are sweet and crunchy.( See also edible flowers)

2- Clover Weed

While hunting for a 4-leafed clover for luck, pick a few extra to chop into a soup or salad. The leaves can be dried and made into tea. Identifying edible weeds doesn’t get any easier than clover.

3- Chickweed

Chickweed has a a 6 inch stem with small round leaves and produces small white flowers in top of a mature plant. The entire chickweed plant can be eaten raw or cooked and has a spinach-like flavor.

Chickweed also has medicinal uses and can be brewed into a tea and used a diuretic or made into a poultice and applied to minor cuts and burns.

4- Curly Dock Edible

This wild plant produces long edible leaves that curl and both leaves and stems can be eaten. The leaves have a tart taste. The seed of curly dock weed can be dried and brewed as a substitute for coffee.

5- Lamb’s Quarters

These edible plants is also called goosefoot because of the size and shape of the leaves. It can be eaten raw, steamed or sauteed and offer a flavor and texture much like spinach. Seeds from lamb’s quarters are edible and have a flavor like quinoa.

6- Plantain

Not to be confused with the fruit that goes by the same name, this little weed that grows in gardens and landscape across the country is one that children are very familiar with. Plantains have low-growing broad leaves with spikes of green seed pods that are easy for kids to strip off and throw at each other.

The young leaves of this edible weed can be raw, steamed, boiled or sauteed. As the plant matures, the leaves become tough, so pick them while they are small and tender.

The seed pods can be cooked and eaten like a grain or ground into a flour for variety of cooking uses. The seed pods are rich in fiber and provide the same digestive benefits as psyllium seeds.

The plantain weed has also medicinal uses and can be ground and used as a topical onitment on minor cuts, rashes and burns.

7- Mallow

Mallow has a seed pod that resembles cheese and that causes this edible weed to also be known as cheeseweed. Both leaves and seed pods are edible and can be enjoyed raw or cooked. The polder plant leaves tend to be tough, so harvest leaves while mallow is small.

8- Pigweed

Also known as wild amaranth, is a fast growing and tall edible weed that seems to pop up overnight as a garden weed. The large, flavor leaves can be used in any dish that calls for leafy greens, either raw or cooked. The long seed pods which sprout from the weed top can be gathered and cook in the same way as store-bought amaranth, either cooked of ground.

9- Purslane

Purslane spreads along the soil in any moist, shady area and it’s high omega-3 content makes it an edible weed well worth hunting for and adding to your dinner plate. This edible weed is a succulent that has a crispy texture and peppery taste and adds a nice crunch to salads. Purslane is also used as a thickening agent for soups and stews.

10- Queen Anne’s Lace

Also known as wild carrots, Queen Anne’s lace produces a large head of tiny white flowers that resemble lace. The flower heads are good to eat raw, but are typically lightly battered and deep fried. The seeds can be can be added to soups and stews, or brewed into a tea.

Gardening Tips, Natural Solutions

10 Natural Weed Killer For Lawn and Garden

September 19, 2022 Katherine Anne 3 Comments

If you ask any gardener, what is a ‘weed’; he would certainly say ‘threat to my garden’. Truly, weed is nothing but an intruder that grows in the lovely and lush green fields, gardens and outdoor area to spoil the look. You must be thinking what is so bad about having the weed. Well, they block the incoming of the nutrients that the plant needs to grow; like sunlight, water, and air. In addition, they act as the host for pathogens that would ultimately infect your garden and spread the vegetative disorder. So, you must be thinking now, how to get rid of the weeds in the garden? Well, the fact remains true that you cannot eliminate it, but there are a number of options through, which you can restrict them from growing.

You may also like to check out: common garden weeds and edible garden weeds.

The problem with weed:

Although you like it or not, weed would be there in your garden or outdoor space like patio,path and lawn. They are jealous creatures, and would certainly not let the beautiful plants and flowers to live peacefully. They grow wherever they want too – you can only remove them to save your garden’s allure. You will have to keep your eyes open, because there is none they would be completely removed. They have deepened roots, so would grow again.

If you want to know about some natural weed killers that can help you deal with this problem, continue reading. Listed are 10 types of all natural weed killer ingredients that would make your life simple and worry free.

1: Baking Soda:

You must sprinkle baking soda in those areas where you think weed usually grows, or is growing. It would help you in stopping its growth for a long duration. Baking soda is the best weed killer and very to all those plant types that intend to destroy the garden’s beauty.

2: Bleach:

Weeds love to penetrate into the walkway crevices – how to deal with this now? Do not worry! Simply pour diluted bleach into these cracks and leave it overnight. The weed would easily come out and regular use would help in restricting its growth.

3: Borax:

If you want to remove weeds from the walls, the garden floor cracks and the wall concretes, sprinkle some borax to fix these intruders. Borax is so powerful that it would kill it even before they get the chance to penetrate into the soil. Borax would be of advantage too, because it would help you in keeping away all those bugs and insects that hurt the garden.

However, this is certainly not a ‘pet friendly weed killer’ – these might cause allergy to dogs, cats or other pets you have.

4: Bottles:

If you want to spray the weed chemical, make sure you do not hurt the plants in the surrounding. What you can do is, cut a bottle in such a way that it becomes a jar, place it over the weed area, and then spry within the capacity of the bottle.

5: Carpet Scraps:

You can use carpet scarps (in an upside down manner) and place pine bark mulch on it. It would help in keeping away the weed from the garden area.

6: Salt:

If you are able to eliminate weeds from the cracks, before they appear, it is well and good. Once they are out of the cracks, they give you a tough time. You can manage to deal with it with salt; this is one of the best working natural weed killer recipes. You have to boil 2 cups water and add one-cup salt to it. This effective solution kills the weed without much problem. It is a homemade weed killer that brings drastic changes to regular use.

You can even sprinkle salt directly into the areas where you think weed can grow.

7: Shower curtains:

You can use these as the same way the carpet scraps – spread bark mulch or gravel to make it work for you.

8: Spray bottles:

It is the best vinegar weed killer idea – you can use ‘diluted vinegar’ as a spray to kill weeds that come out from the cracks. However, it has higher acidity so make sure you spray it directly on the infected areas, without hurting the plants.

9: Vinegar

Do the unwanted weeds coming from the crack bother you? It is the right time to get rid of them as you have the best natural weed killer vinegar to help you. You can use plain vinegar or even the cider to get the best results. Make sure you spray it on the root areas or the lowest level of the stem so that it kills the roots and stop the growth afterwards. Keep doing it after every other day so that you can somehow get rid of the mess easily.

10: Vodka:

It is the simplest and organic weed killer. You can get the best solution my mixing 1-ounce Vodka, add some liquid soap, and mix water into it (2 cups) and use it as a spray. This is one time spray, so you make it and use it until it ends in one go.