Environmentally Safe Ways to Remove Weeds

 by: Dean Novosat

There is a lot of concern about herbicides and what they are doing to our environment. Large amounts of chemicals leech into our groundwater polluting our water supply. Cancers and strange diseases with no apparent cause are being linked to chemicals and pollutants in our environment. So how do we control all those pesky weeds in our perfectly manicured landscapes? I will outline several different ways to eradicate weeds without polluting our environment.

The first and probably the simplest of all, is to roll up your sleeves, get down on your knees, and pull the weeds out! I know this seems counterintuitive in an age when we are accustomed to instantaneous and easy ways of doing things. When all we have to do is spray some highly-toxic chemical on a plant and it seemingly evaporates in less that a day! But back in the day, people used to buy tools like a hoe, or dandelion pullers to actually exert physical work to remove weeds. I prefer this method as it actually feels good to get back to our natural instincts and commune with our surroundings. Sweating in the hot sun and doing physical labor is good for the mind, body, and spirit, and with this technique, we can actually eliminate weeds!

A tip for pulling weeds is to give the weed bed a good watering the night before. With the ground thoroughly soaked, the soil will be softened and will yield the entire weed plant, root and all.

The second method is equally effective but it is more difficult to isolate a single weed in a bed of desirable plants. Simply pour hot, boiling water over the weed. The hot water will kill the weed. The next time you make a pot of tea and you have some water left over, pour it on the weeds. How about pasta water? Or corn on the cob? Plenty of boiling water left over there! While the corn is cooking or the pasta simmering, take a quick walk outside to see what weeds need to go. That way you can quickly locate them with your hot pot of water.

And lastly, you can use a string trimmer or lawn mower and just mow them down. Sure, they will grow back up but just keep whacking them down. They are green and produce lots of oxygen for your environment, and mowed down low, who would ever suspect that you have a lawn full of weeds. My lawn is full of clover and violets. Mowed down low, it looks like a beautiful lawn. However, I am the envy of the neighborhood every Spring when my lawn is covered with white and purple flowers during the month of April.