When weeds spread over large areas or tender greens sprout from every crack on the sidewalk, the plagued hobby gardener is not defenseless against the brazen hustle and bustle. This guide is packed with practical tips on how to get rid of weeds naturally. This is how it works without lethal injection in the bed, on paved areas and on lawns.

Nothing beats good old weeding

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Remove weeds overview
  3. Remove large areas Tips
  4. Remove on sidewalks
  5. Remove between stones
  6. Remove from lawn
  7. frequently asked Questions

    8. the essentials in brief

    • The four best methods for removing weeds from a large area are: digging up the garden, trenching, a combination of weeding and mulching, and opaque covering.
    • Effective devices against weeds on sidewalks and paved surfaces are high-pressure cleaners (€119.90) and steam cleaners.
    • You can get rid of weeds between stones with hot water, a grout brush, a gas or heating burner and an electrical device such as a Weedbuster with a rotating grout scraper.

    Remove weeds - where and how at a glance

    The arsenal of biological weed control is chock full of effective methods. The following table provides an overview of how to remove weeds permanently, quickly and easily.

    Remove extensively On sidewalks/paved areas Between stones/joints In the lawn
    digging up high pressure cleaner boiling water scarifier
    trenches steam cleaner grout brush weeder
    weeding and mulching hard broom/wire brush electric device
    Cover gas burner
    heating burner

    Have one or more of the options above aroused your interest? Then please read on. The following sections will show you how to do it right.

    digression

    Stay away from salt and vinegar

    Weed control with salt or vinegar brings hobby gardeners into conflict with the Plant Protection Act. The legislature considers supposed home remedies based on your own recipe to be unapproved pesticides. The law does not differentiate between private and commercial offenders. The offense is punished with high fines. Responsible hobby gardeners therefore ignore salt and vinegar as alleged biological pesticides and attack the brazen weeds with manual or mechanical methods.

    Removing weeds from large areas - tips

    Digging makes sense when nothing but weeds is growing

    Extensive weed growth cannot be dealt with simply by weeding. Where dandelions, bindweed, goutweed and accomplices have been able to proliferate for years, more ruthless control strategies are required. However, you don't have to use the chemical mace. The following tips sum up how you can remove large areas of weed with a little elbow grease or patience:

    dig up the garden

    Removing weeds in the classic manner requires a sharp spade and a good deal of physical effort. Dig the weed-strewn garden spade-deep. Place the spade blade on the ground at a slight angle. Step on the top edge of the spade blade with one foot until it is fully embedded in the ground. Lift up the cut off soil together with the weeds and throw the substrate upside down with a 180 degree turn back into the ground hole. Once you have completely dug up the garden in this way, rake the soil with a sow tooth until it has a fine, crumbly consistency.

    trenches

    Rigolen is digging for advanced users. The following step-by-step instructions explain how to proceed correctly and remove weeds over a large area with a long-term effect:

    1. Mow the weeded area deep with a lawn mower or a scythe
    2. Dig a ditch 2 spades deep across the bed
    3. Throw the excavated material through a throw-through sieve
    4. next to the first furrow, dig the second trench without gaps and also sieve this garden soil
    5. throw the sifted spoil from the second trench into the first furrow
    6. continue like this until the end of the weed area

    Finally, shovel the sifted garden soil from the first furrow into the last trench dug.

    tips

    Please do not throw weeds on the compost heap, but in the organic waste. In contrast to private compost heaps, urban composting and biodigestion plants develop sufficiently high temperatures during decomposition to permanently destroy weed seeds.

    weeding and mulching

    Mulch (€239.00) prevents weed growth

    Traditional and close to nature, you can get rid of weeds across the board with a two-step plan. In the first stage, garden tools are used that chop off weeds and loosen the soil, such as a rake, sow tooth, star tiller or weed cutter. Most of the roots remain in the ground and seeds are distributed. For this reason, a layer of mulch follows in the second stage, which prevents renewed weed growth. Bark mulch, wood chips,(23.53€) dried lawn clippings and autumn leaves are well suited. It is important to note that you mulch beds, tree discs or grass pavers up to a maximum of 5-8 centimeters high, otherwise snails, mice and other animals will find themselves in the welcome hiding place.

    Cover

    A dark cover cuts off weeds from sunlight. Photosynthesis comes to a standstill, so even the most stubborn weeds disappear, never to be seen again. Commercially available mulch film or simply thick cardboard are well suited. The downside is the associated long waiting time, which usually extends over a whole season. You can cushion the less than decorative appearance with a layer of bark mulch or wood chips.

    Permanently remove weeds on sidewalks - This is how it works

    Sidewalks and paved areas magically attract weeds. Aside from the unkempt appearance, when it rains, green paved areas turn into dangerous slides for family and guests. It doesn’t have to come to that, because you can permanently remove weeds with the following methods:

    high pressure cleaner

    The high-pressure cleaner makes short work of annoying weeds on the sidewalk, driveway and patio. The device is equipped with a Vario nozzle, which you can set to a point or flat jet. The water shoots out of the nozzle with a pressure of up to 150 bar and removes all weeds from the paved surface. For sensitive surfaces, we recommend a test on a hidden area to regulate the pressure if necessary and to avoid damage to the pavement.

    steam cleaner

    With steam, you can effectively tackle and permanently remove stubborn weeds. In order for you to be able to use a steam cleaner to combat weeds, the device should have the following properties:

    • at least 2 l tank volume
    • at least 2000 watts of heating power
    • extra long cable
    • with additional hot water function
    • a small nozzle as an accessory

    From a temperature of 42° Celsius, the steam cleaner gets rid of annoying weeds. Because the hot water vapor penetrates deep into the pores of the paving stones, the weed roots also have to believe it. You can easily brush off the dead residue once the surface has dried.

    broom and wire brush

    Working with brooms and wire brushes is more strenuous but is kind to the environment and your wallet

    Investing in a machine is not absolutely necessary to keep weeds from growing on sidewalks. Are you ready for a method with a fitness effect? Then use a stiff broom or wire brush. The best time is after a downpour, when weeds have softened due to moisture. Scrub moss, algae, clover and other weeds from the sidewalk, patio or driveway with maximum pressure. Then sweep away the pitiful remains and dispose of everything in the organic waste bin. You achieve lasting success of the energy-sapping action with a final stone sealing. Modern, biological products are 100% solvent-free and contain neither fluorine nor silicone.

    Weeds are natural green beauties that appear in the wrong place at the wrong time.

    Remove weeds between stones permanently - Here's how

    Green grout is the biggest problem when you want to permanently remove weeds from sidewalks. Panels that have been treated with a high-pressure or steam cleaner do not offer a target for bold wild herbs for a long time. Between the paving stones, on the other hand, seeds of dandelion, clover and the like can germinate and grow quickly. In order to remove weeds from joints in the long term and naturally, there are various options available to you, which are summarized in the table above. The specific procedure for each method is explained in more detail below:

    Boiling water

    Removing weeds from between paving stones in harmony with nature is a case for boiling water. Arm yourself with a long corded kettle and a large watering can for refilling. Bring the water to a boil in close proximity to the weed. Douse the green culprits with hot water. The weeds die off quickly because water from a temperature of around 50° Celsius causes the plant cells to burst deep down into the root area.

    grout brush

    The tried and tested joint brush is a proven tool against nasty weeds between stones. At the end of a telescopic handle is a brush with metal or plastic bristles. By moving the grout brush between the stones with a little pressure, weeds get caught in the bristles. When buying, please make sure that the brush bristles converge in a V-shape.

    electrical machine

    A further development of the classic joint brush is the mechanical joint cleaner. The electric device works with a rotating brush, driven by an electric motor, either by battery or cable. With up to 3000 revolutions per minute, all weeds are removed from between stones and from joints.

    The following video demonstrates how it works, using an electric machine called the Weedbuster as an example:

    youtube

    gas burner

    Removing weeds by flaming them with a gas burner is widespread in hobby gardens. Under the influence of an open flame, temperatures of up to 1800° Celsius develop, which weeds cannot counteract. Simple devices work with a gas cartridge, are relatively easy to use and require little effort. Thanks to a narrow flame, you can also permanently remove weeds from narrow gaps. The inexpensive, simple devices are completely sufficient for weed control in small areas. To remove weeds over a large area, you need a gas burner with a gas bottle.

    heating burner

    With this device version for weed control, a ceramic plate is heated to a whopping 1000° Celsius. The resulting infrared heat radiation is so intense that plant tissue, roots and seeds are destroyed by weeds. Natural hobby gardeners appreciate that the heat only penetrates 2 millimeters deep into the soil, so that valuable microorganisms are spared. Good to know: With burners based on infrared radiation, you not only remove weeds from sealed surfaces and sidewalks, but also eliminate unwanted weeds even under trees and bushes.

    Remove weeds from lawn - 2 effective methods

    Weeds in the lawn are best pulled out

    Single weed nests can be quickly removed with a weed puller. In the simple version, the tool consists of an ergonomic handle with a semicircular lance made of quality steel. To remove a snooty dandelion from the lawn, you need to get on your knees before the weeds. Use the blade to prick out the plant along with the root.

    Scarifying is the most effective method when you need to remove weeds from the lawn over a large area. You can rent the necessary equipment from many hardware stores and machine rental companies at a reasonable daily price. The following brief instructions explain how to easily comb out annoying weeds in the lawn with the scarifier:

    1. mow the lawn deep
    2. Place the scarifier on the lawn and set it to a working depth of 2-4 mm
    3. Scarify the green area lengthwise and crosswise
    4. brush off combed weeds with a rake

    The best time to control weeds in the lawn is in spring when the weather is dry.

    frequently asked Questions

    How can you remove weeds from gravel surfaces without chemicals?

    You can naturally remove weeds on the gravel path with a pressure washer or steam cleaner. Please use a device with a flat jet function so that the sharp water jet from the high-pressure cleaner does not blow the gravel in all directions. Spot weed growth on gravel surfaces can be removed quickly and easily with hot water.

    We need to remove tall weeds on the fence. How does that work without poison?

    Some like climbing plants on the fence, others don't

    As tall weeds on the fence, creepers and grasses create an unkempt appearance. Because you are at a loss here with a device, we recommend a three-stage, manual procedure. Release the creepers from the fence and cut off all weeds. Now take a weed puller or a small shovel and dig out the bold weeds with their roots. Finally, mulch under the fence with bark mulch, wood chippings, gravel or leaves as a natural weed suppressant.

    How can we permanently remove weeds from a new property before we plant a new lawn there?

    An old turf full of weeds is the biggest hurdle when you start a new lawn on a new lot. To overcome the problem, get mechanical help in the form of a weed peeling machine. The device can be rented at a reasonable price and peels off the weed cover in no time. You should then dig or trench the future lawn to remove the last remains of roots from the ground.

    Which tool removes weeds on the side of the road without bending down and without chemicals?

    You can easily keep sidewalks and roadsides weed-free with a joint brush. The device is constructed as a combination of a long handle with a wire brush attached to the end. Just a little pressure is enough to remove even stubborn weeds on the side of the road or on the sidewalk between the stones, without bending down and without chemicals.

    tips

    Did you know that regular lawn mowing is an effective way to remove weeds with ease. Trim the lawn at least once a week, preventing dandelions, chickweed and other unpopular lawn weeds from flowering and seeding. In addition, you stay on the heels of the first buds and blossoms with a daily inspection, which you quickly snap off with two fingers. In this way, you permanently starve out annoying lawn weeds.

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