Monthly Archives: October 2018

So, you’re trying to become more sustainable in your gardening. You’ve started composting and you have introduced low maintenance and native flora – but how do you get rid of those stubborn weeds?

If you’re not too crazy about dousing your beautiful garden in harsh weed killing chemicals, there are some proven alternatives to chemical-based weed killers that are worth trying.

 

The Importance of Natural Methods

Whenever you need some help to eradicate unwanted weeds or pests, it’s often a good idea to turn towards natural methods. Chemically based products can often pose a health risk to you and the environment, especially when not used properly. When using chemical weed killer, it not only eradicates the targeted weeds, but can also weaken trees and other plants in the area, leaving them to become susceptible to invasion by pests and other diseases.

 

Natural Options for Your Garden

Manual labour: sometimes the best way is the old fashioned way. Roll up your sleeves and settle in for a day of weeding. If you can, wait until after a bit of rain so that the ground is a little softer and the weeds easier to remove. Try to pull from beneath the soil, and use a trowel, butter knife or screwdriver to loosen any stubborn taproots.

Vinegar: a method best used in early spring, just as growing season begins. Mix one part white vinegar to five parts water and spray the solution on weed stems two to three times. If the weeds are flowering, spray the solution directly on the centre of the flower so they don’t seed and spread. Where possible, try use the spray on a day when sunshine is forecast for two consecutive days so the solution doesn’t get washed away.

Get mulching: mulch is a great and easy fix. It keeps your soil cool and wet and helps to eliminate any light that weeds need to grow. When spreading mulch, keep it around 5cm deep and off your lawn.

Boiling Water: sometimes plain old tap water will do the trick. For young weeds, or hard to reach ones growing in cracks and pavement, add a tablespoon of salt to boiling water and pour directly onto them.

Outnumber them: in your garden, all the plants are competing for resources and only the strongest thrive and survive. To try beat out the weeds for sunlight, water and nutrients, plant flowers, herb gardens, ground covers and more.

Organic Herbicides: if you’re not set on trying any of the above, organic herbicides do exist and they’re relatively easy to find in local garden supply and hardware stores. These are typically made from natural ingredients such as fatty acids and citrus acid. Before buying, always find out what weeds you’re dealing with and read the labels carefully. Just like chemical-based weed killer, always make sure you’re applying it correctly.

 

In the meantime, if you need help with mulching, planting or garden bed construction to help keep out those pesky weeds, the experts from Watersave Landscaping are only a phone call away.

Did you know that 40% of a household’s waste is food waste?

Starting a compost bin is one of the easiest ways to reduce your household’s waste and create nutrient rich soil that can be used throughout your garden. With so many different options and styles of compost bins available these days, the best part is that a compost bin no longer has to be an eyesore in your garden and can easily tie in with your landscaping design.

Whether you’re thinking about starting a compost in your backyard or have just recently started one, we thought we’d compile a quick list of the most important dos and don’ts when it comes to backyard composting.

 

Dos

• Always maintain an equal ratio of brown waste and green waste in your bin – green waste meaning food scraps and brown waste meaning paper, cardboard and straw
• Fill your compost with vegetable and fruit scraps, vegetable oil, pruning and leaves from your garden, tea bags, coffee grounds, toilet rolls, egg shells, flowers, pet hair, your hair, paper, cardboard
• Keep your compost aerated – so if you have a tumbling bin give it a spin at least once a week, and if you have a standard bin simply stir it with a pitchfork once a week
• Place your compost bin in a shaded and well-drained area away from too much sun
• Crush eggshells

 

Don’ts

• Do not fill your compost bin with animal waste, glossy magazines or coated cardboard, weeds that have seeds, treated timber, fat, diseased plants, metal
• Stay away from excessive amounts of meat and dairy waste as this can attract pests
• Do not include onion, garlic or any citrus scraps – this can repel earthworms and these are vital to the composting process
• Never pour chemical waste in your compost

 

Pro Tips

• If you don’t like the idea of walking outside every time you have food scraps (especially during the cooler months), keep a small container in your kitchen to keep your food scraps and empty it daily or every second day.
• It’s important to keep your compost moist to speed up the breakdown process. Soak the cardboard and straw before adding it to the pile, but don’t saturate it. You’ll know when your compost is ready when it begins to look like soil and smells earthy – that means you can now feed your flowers and vegie patch with this great, nutrient rich soil!

 

Composting is one of the easiest ways individuals can start making a positive impact on the environment. If you have any questions about the best ways to incorporate a compost in your landscaping design, or how you can create a sustainable garden, give the team at Watersave Landscaping a call today.