HelpfulGardener.com

I am new to doing a flower bed. I bought a new home and they have a nice flower bed in the front yard. It seemed to grow lots of weeds in last year. I pulled them out but with in a week they were growing back. Is there anything I can put in it to kill the weeds but not the flowers? Any help from anyone?? Thanks Adam

Welcome to the world of gardening. Yes, we gardeners often battle against unwanted plants (weeds) in the garden. No, there isn't much you can do to kill the weeds other than using vinegar and I believe clove oil or cloves that won't harm the flowers. I would think that to much of the above two options would also harm the flowers.

What some people do (not me) is use bark mulch to suppress weeds but, nothing will keep weeds down totally. (as far as mulches are concerned)

What I do, is plant cover crops along with whatever other plants I have. That keeps unwanted plants out because they are suppressed by the cover crop.

Hairy Vetch is a nice one because it has nice, purple flowers and Nitrogen Fixing bacteria associate with nodules on it's roots and fix nitrogen that the plant absorbs for the air.

Crimson and white clover have the same N fixing associations. Rye, can be good but, it is a grass and might not be a aesthetically pleasing as Vetch of clover. Also, if you don't turn rye in every 4 months or so, it gets really (for lack of a better term) thick and hard to dig up.

another benefit of having a cover crop instead of bark mulch is that if you trim it and let the trimming sit right on top of the bed, you will be adding to the soil(building the soil).

Mulch after a good weed; it will get easier every year (turn in previous years mulch before application)


HG

Thanks for the reply

De nada

I would plant perennials because they spred and take over the weeds would you like ground covers or tall ones I could help you if I know what ones you want I worked at a nursery for 23 years and I know perennials