The War of the Weeds

Or, How to Save your Garden from Invaders

Written by Paula S.

It seems as though the more you pluck and pull the weeds in your yard, the more they multiply.  If you pull out 100 of these prolific little intruders, 400 more appear.  They push their way through everything, even mulch and stone, and they know exactly where to grow, namely in your garden beds, your driveway, and everywhere in-between.  They are thorny and they are hairy.  And their flowers, though often beautiful, are deceptive little vessels housing thousands of seeds that quietly drift away with the slightest breeze then reappear in droves in your neighbor’s garden and beyond.

yardovertakenwithweeds3jpg

It is tempting to declare war on these nasty little squatters by attacking them with chemical warfare, but there are other ways to beat them that are safer and often more satisfying. Below are links to four articles that will help you protect your territory while maintaining your health, your sanity, and your gardens.

The first article explains commonly used tools and offers solutions to the overall problem:

http://grist.org/living/ask-umbra-how-do-i-wipe-out-a-yard-full-of-weeds/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Daily%2520April%252011&utm_campaign=daily

The second article shows photos of the most common weeds of our region, along with how to deal with them individually:

http://www.seattlegardenideas.com/2011/04/is-this-weed.html

Hortsense provides an extensive list of our local weeds:

http://pep.wsu.edu/hortsense/scripts/query/menu.asp?level=2&categoryID=6

No weed list would be complete without including the infamous noxious weeds of Washington:

www.nwcb.wa.gov

So, shotweed, horsetail and spotted catsear beware.  We are ready for battle and our gardens will prevail.

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