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How to clear large area of weeds


Killing Large Patches of Brushy Weeds

How To Get Rid Of Brushy Weeds

Dealing with brushy weeds – unwanted woody plants, deep-rooted weeds and aggressive vines – can be one of gardening's most challenging chores. But there are tricks to fighting these problem plants that can make the task easier.

Why Battle Brushy Weeds
In many natural settings, brushy weeds aren't true weeds. In urban landscapes, though, they frequently become problems. Removing these pesky plants isn't for the faint of heart, but it can become necessary when brushy weeds:

Tips for Beating Brushy Weeds

The most important secret to eradicating brushy weeds is to do your homework. Different plants respond to different techniques. Before you choose a tactic, identify and research the plant you're battling.

Grab an herbicide. Plant-killing chemicals, or herbicides, are one of the best weapons against brushy weeds, because they can kill leaves, stems and roots when applied properly. They're especially helpful when you're faced with a large weedy area. In many cases, you'll achieve best success when you combine herbicides with other weed control methods.

Timing is key when applying herbicides; follow label instructions carefully. Most brush killer herbicides also kill desirable plants, so protect existing vegetation when spraying.

Hand-dig, pull, hoe. This approach requires little more than common garden tools and elbow grease. Hand-digging weeds works best with smaller shrubs, non-woody stemmed vines or bunching perennial grasses. It also can be effective with young starts of larger plants, such as small saplings or vines.

Utilize these techniques when soil is moist to enable easy root excavation. When digging plants, remove as much of the root system as possible to prevent resprouting.

Disking. For larger areas, like pastures, turning vegetation into soil with a disk harrow can effectively eliminate some brushy weeds. You can achieve the same results in smaller spaces using a rototiller. For dense vegetation, use a rotary mower (brush hog) to cut plants before turning soil. Avoid turning soil when dealing with weeds like Thistle, Cocklebur, Bermudagrass (wiregrass) or Johnsongrass. These weeds can spread more aggressively when soil is disturbed.

Mow 'em down. Mowing, or brush hogging, is often used to remove brushy weeds. In colder zones, frequent mowing can eventually control some brushy weeds. In regions where plants grow year-round, mowing alone rarely provides effective control – it mostly hides the problem. Mowing can also backfire with certain plants, like sSumac, Honey Locust or Osage Orange. After cutting, these plants resprout with even more shoots.

Get some goats. On Western grazing lands and fire-prone areas, landowners use goats to devour brushy weeds, including bBlackberry, Thistle and Poison Oak. Goats browse heavily and indiscriminately, so they're most effective in larger areas that lack manicured landscaping.

Corral roots. Sometimes you can confine brushy weeds to a particular area by installing a root barrier, such as thick plastic or landscape fabric infused with an herbicide (Biobarrier, for example). Root barriers don't provide effective long-term control. Roots eventually find their way through or under them.

Smother plants. A layer of black plastic can effectively kill many brushy weeds, depriving them of necessary sunlight. Make sure edges are firmly anchored for best results.

Learn more about common brushy weeds.

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Best Ways to "Remove Weeds" From a Large Area

If you've been blessed with a yard or a garden, you'll have hopes to create a beautiful outdoor space that's abundant with blooms, colors, and wildlife.

Buying and planting is the easy bit. It's the maintenance and aftercare that get in the way. Why? I have one word for you: weeds.

Weeds are every gardener's nightmare. Obnoxious and invasive types can choke up and kill off your prized plants in quick time, leaving you with a large open space filled with nothing but weeds.

If this sounds like you, then truly, you have our sympathy. 

If your yard, garden, or other outdoor space is filled with weeds and you're not sure how to get rid of them, you've come to the right place.

Stick with us to discover five of the best ways to remove weeds from a large area, so you can watch your outdoor space thrive once again. 

Contents

Let's kick things off with an infamous suggestion - weed killer. Weed killers work by breaking down the cell walls of plant cells, causing the plant to die. They're great at killing weeds, but they're also toxic to humans and animals.

So if you use them regularly, it's essential to wear protective clothing (including gloves) and ensure you dispose of any waste properly. 

Now, although weed killers are great for killing small patches of unwanted vegetation, they'll be more time-consuming to use on larger areas. They also leave behind toxic residues, which may be harmful to humans and animals.

Plus, using weed killer near food crops could damage the soil structure and cause contamination. 

If you want to try weed killer to rid your yard or garden of weeds, we recommend Roundup's ready-to-use weed and grass killer with a comfort wand.

This product kills weeds without harming nearby plants, pets, and people. It has no smell and leaves no residue.

The active ingredient is glyphosate, which is non-toxic and biodegradable. You simply spray the herbicide directly onto the weeds and wait for them to wilt away.

If you want a weed killer that causes as minor damage as possible to the surrounding area, this is a great one to start off with.

When I tested this weed killer, I found the product's large bottle and comfort and made it easy to spray larger areas too, so it wasn't as time-consuming to kill off our weeds as it would have been with a smaller bottle. 

Pros

Cons

Are you looking for a different way to kill off your weeds? Why not try a weed suppressant membrane?

These products are made from a natural polymer called polyvinyl alcohol, which creates a barrier around the weeds.

As the weeds grow through the membrane, water cannot penetrate the barrier, meaning the weeds will eventually dry out and die.

The advantage of using a weed suppressant membrane is that it doesn't require direct contact with the weed.

Instead, it creates a physical barrier between the weed and the surrounding area. This means there's less chance of damaging nearby plants and animals.

I tried this weed suppressant membrane by HOOPLE, and I really liked how effective it was. It worked well for us to kill off all sorts of weeds, including dandelions, clover, and even some types of grass.

However, I did find that applying these membranes was quite time-consuming. In fact, I had to apply each one individually, which meant I couldn't just throw the whole thing into the ground.

This isn't particularly convenient when you're trying to kill weeds growing in large areas. 

Pros

Cons

Yes, you read that right. What better way to tackle a burning inferno of weeds than with literal fire? (No, I'm not crazy). Fire torches work by igniting the weeds with flames, causing them to burn up.

They're perfect for killing weeds in both small and large spaces where traditional methods aren't suitable. This practice even has its own name - 'flame weeding.'

The idea behind flame weeding is that the more often you torch the top of the weed, the more likely it is to give up and die at the stem. Brutal, but effective.

One of the best things about using fire torches is that they leave no residue behind. This means you won't have to worry about any harmful chemicals getting into the surrounding area.

Plus, because they use heat rather than chemicals, they're safe for use around sensitive plants or animals (at a distance).

I was impressed by how quickly the weeds died when I tested this method. Although they didn't completely disappear, they looked like they'd already been killed off.

I also noticed that the flames weren't very hot, making it safe to use around plants and animals. I used this butane torch by SONDIKO; although it's traditionally used in cooking, it definitely killed off our weeds!

However, it does produce a relatively small flame, so don't expect to torch up your whole yard in one go. 

One downside to using a fire torch is that you may need to buy additional fuel to keep the flame going. You might also need to purchase special equipment to put the fire torch together. 

Pros

Cons

Now, let's explore a more traditional approach. If you want to take things back to basics, it may be time to kill your weeds with a combination of trimming and pulling.

Trimming works well when you've got lots of weeds growing in clumps while pulling works well when you've just got a few straggly weeds.

It's important to remember that these techniques are only helpful if you know what type of weeds you're dealing with.

For example, if you're trying to remove dandelions, you should probably pull them out before cutting them down. Otherwise, you could end up pulling out healthy plant material instead of the weeds themselves. 

Trimming is an easy technique to learn. All you need to do is cut the tops off the weeds with scissors, or a specialist strimming tool for large areas, like this Black + Decker string trimmer, then simply pull the weeds from their stems.

Pulling works well when you've only got a few weeds. Simply grab hold of the base of each weed, and pull straight upwards. This will cause the weed to break off at the root. 

When I tested the Black + Decker string trimmer, I found it was INCREDIBLY useful for larger areas. It's powerful and lightweight and can trim large clusters of weeds in seconds.

It even has a handy LED light on top, making it easier to see where you're working. If you use this to trim the tops of your weeds and pull the roots out yourself, you'll have a clear yard in no time.

Pros

Cons

Let's finish up with another 'traditional' method to kill your weeds - salt. Salt kills by dehydrating the soil so it won't work for very wet soils.

However, if you've got dry soil, it can be effective. You'll need to apply the salt directly onto the surface of the soil. Once applied, wait 24 hours, then water thoroughly. Repeat as necessary.

While this method isn't as fast as other methods, it does mean you don't need any special equipment. Just add a handful of salt to your garden bucket, fill it with water, and pour over your weeds.

The salt will dissolve into the water, killing the weeds without damaging anything else. I used this Happy Belly sea salt on our weeds, and it worked brilliantly.

Once I'd made up the saltwater solution, it was also pretty easy to cover large areas with it, too. So if you want a simple and effective method, this is one to consider. 

Pros

Cons

Buyer's Guide

Now you know some of the most effective ways to kill a yard or garden full of weeds, let us walk you through everything you need to consider before settling on a method.

Choosing A Weedkiller Method

There are two main factors that you should take into consideration when choosing a weed killer method: cost and effectiveness.

Cost

It's important to remember that while these methods may seem expensive, they're actually quite affordable if you look at them from a long-term perspective.

For example, it costs around $10 per year to buy Roundup Weedkiller, but it only takes about 60 minutes to apply it once every month. This means that over the course of a year, you could save more than $1,000.

Effectiveness

The second thing you need to think about is whether each method is effective. Some methods are much better suited to certain types of weeds, whereas others are great for all sorts of weeds.

So, if you have an area where you want to grow something like tomatoes, you might choose a different method to deal with the weeds growing underneath.

For example, because the salt method doesn't damage plants, it's perfect for growing vegetables. But, if you want to keep your lawn looking nice, you might prefer using herbicide.

How Do I Choose?

So, how do you decide which method to use? There are many things to consider, including:

If you have a lot of weeds, then you probably want to go for a method that will be quick and effective. That way, you can get back to enjoying your garden sooner.

If you're not sure what kind of weeds you have, you can always ask someone who knows their local flora well. They'll be able to tell you precisely what you need to do.

When choosing a method, it's also worth thinking about what you want to achieve. For example, if you just want to tidy up your garden, you might choose a method that kills weeds quickly.

However, if you want to create a beautiful garden, you might opt for a slower method that requires less maintenance.

Choosing a method really depends on what you want to achieve, so make sure you pick one that suits your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for weeds to die after spraying?

Weeds usually start dying within 24 hours of being sprayed. The longer you spray them, the faster they'll die.

How Do I Get Rid Of Weeds Forever?

You can try using a combination of different methods. For example, you could use a slow-acting herbicide first, followed by a fast-acting herbicide.
Or, you could use a non-toxic product such as vinegar. You could even put down mulch in between rows of crops. All of these methods will help prevent new weeds from sprouting.

What to do after pulling weeds?

After you've pulled out the weeds, you should wait until the soil has dried before planting anything else. If you don't, you risk getting diseases or other pests.

New to gardening? Here are some of my latest tips, tricks, and helpful gardening articles.

Final Thoughts

There are lots of ways to remove weeds from your garden. Even if you're dealing with a large, stubborn patch of weeds, all hope is not lost! Which methods work best for you? Let us know!

Cleaning up neglected areas of the garden.

Cleaning the area from weeds. Soil improvement - Botanichka

Every gardener faces the problem of neglected, overgrown, weedy areas sooner or later. The task of clearing is connected not only with the situation when you acquire a suburban area in a deplorable state. Old flowerbeds or "forgotten" lawns, overgrown massifs or uncontrollably spreading weeds that were not started in time to deal with - the situation is not at all rare. And the main key to success in solving the problem is patience and endurance.

Cleaning up neglected areas of the garden. © Kiandra Jimenez

Contents:

One strategy for every situation

In determining how to cope with neglected planting and the task of clearing the area, neither the area, nor the severity of this problem, nor the circumstance of how many years the site has stood without care, does not matter. The task of cleaning is always and everywhere solved in the same way. The only difference is how much time will have to be spent to achieve the goal and what means to use.

Conventionally, all situations where clearing of territories is necessary are divided into three categories of complexity:

  1. Cleaning of cultivated areas occupied by weeds.
  2. Cleaning up old objects that over the years have grown into impenetrable chaotic arrays.
  3. Cleaning of the entire area or part of the neglected area, where, in addition to weeds and old plants, there are also bushes, trees and their growth.

The third type of clearing is the most difficult, laborious and time consuming. Usually it is typical for situations when they buy plots in a state of disrepair and are forced to first deal with what they inherited before creating their dream garden.

The first two types of clearing may be needed even in ordinary gardens that are regularly maintained and frequently visited. After all, if you just lose a little time, do not start fighting weeds on time or do not notice that the flowerbed is overgrown, then next year well-groomed objects will turn into neglected territories. Emergency trips for work, lack of time, force majeure often lead to the fact that zones and objects appear in the garden that need not just regular care, but clearing.

There are many means to combat unwanted vegetation and neglect in gardens. But still, without mechanical processing, significant effort and time spent cannot be dispensed with. After all, even modern herbicide preparations may be significantly improved, but still not magical. And in any situation, a lot of strength will have to be applied. But you always need to act according to the same plan.

It is always better to start clearing by removing debris - branches, stones, old building materials. This will allow you to assess the real state of affairs and greatly simplify further actions.

A neglected area cleanup strategy includes five main steps:

  1. Identify and conserve crop plants that can be used and reclaimed.
  2. Identification of bushes and trees that cannot be saved and will have to be uprooted, as well as areas requiring difficult work with root growth.
  3. Cleaning the soil from vegetation, removing weed rhizomes from the soil.
  4. Mechanical tillage.
  5. Improvement of the soil on the site and preparation for new plantings.

For heavily neglected areas, you can always use the services of professionals. But if you want to cope with the task on your own, the first thing you should not do is get scared. Step by step, gradually, you will cope with any problem on your own. The main thing is to put everything “on the shelves” and not try to immediately cover the whole problem as a whole.

The neglected part of the garden plot. © tidygardens

Save every plant you can

Whether it's a simple weed attack that's crowding out perennials and favorite flowers, or more serious problems, the first thing to think about is plants that have suffered from neglect but are still have not lost their viability.

Even the most neglected bushes and trees should be cut down only when there really is no other way out: if they are severely affected by pests and diseases, they give a huge amount of shoots, they have shown that they can no longer bear fruit. Of course, continuous thickets of willow or sea buckthorn, cherry growth on the site are useless. But give cultivated plants a chance, first of all - fruit and berry bushes and trees: pruning and treating diseases, rejuvenate crowns, see how they will bear fruit for several years and whether they have a future. Yes, and decorative bushes or types of trees after high-quality pruning can surprise you with unprecedented beauty.

Of course, the easiest option is not to wait and replace the plants with new ones. But, if you do not have a huge budget for buying large-sized plants, then you will have to wait much longer than for restoring old plants. Therefore, in the issue of the largest crops, it is better to uproot, cut down and remove only those plants that really have no chance to fit into the new project.

With perennials, herbaceous crops, ground covers, everything is much simpler and more complicated at the same time. It is herbaceous crops that are the first to suffer from the spread of wild herbs, it is they that are displaced by weeds, and without proper care, competitors. Losing their compactness and neat appearance, herbaceous perennials themselves are able to create neglected objects, quickly turning from familiar and favorite flowers into almost weeds.

In the mass of plants in the deserted areas, it always seems that there is nothing to save. But it is better to take a closer look at the thickets: if you free the plants from weedy neighbors, clean and divide the curtains, plant young shoots, in clean soil and in a new place with suitable conditions, grassy crops will again appear in all their splendor. And even where you see one goutweed or dandelions, take a closer look at the plants that have suffered from them, but are still fighting for their lives.

All cultivated plants should be dug up, carefully inspected, remove extraneous grasses braiding their root system, divided and cut if necessary. And save for future plantings and new objects. Before you deal with all the excess vegetation, be sure to dig out all the crops that you can use. Even if we are talking about a slight neglect or an overgrown flower bed, the clearing should be complete. To achieve a result, cultivated plants, with the exception of bushes or trees that cannot be transplanted, must be completely removed from the cleared area, leaving not a single island of old plantings.

The neglected part of the site before clearing. © scgardening The site after clearing. © scgardening

Unwanted Vegetation Clearing

Before weeds and undergrowth are removed and the soil is completely cleared, evaluate the characteristics and condition of the soil for the presence of aggressors that have invaded it. After all, weeds are the simplest "pointers" to the reaction and characteristics of the soil. So, self-sowing poppy and coltsfoot indicate alkaline soils, and tricolor violet and sorrel indicate acidic ones. Dandelion and creeping ranunculus settle in areas where there are problems with dampness, and invaders such as creeping wheatgrass, gout and nettle adore nitrogen-rich soils.

Weeds should also be identified for another purpose: you will have to deal with different wild herbs in different ways. Seed weeds spread by actively spreading seeds, but root weeds have almost indestructible roots that are not so easy to deal with. The type of weeds directly determines the chemical means of control, since herbicides are selected according to the type of unwanted vegetation.

First of all, you need to take care of the shrubs and trees intended for removal, their root growth. This is a job that just can't be done. And it is the most time-consuming of all the procedures on the site, often requiring the use of equipment. Only after you have dealt with the most significant problem in every sense, you can start weeding and cleaning the soil.

A neglected area prior to clearing of weeds and unwanted vegetation. © tidygardens The site after clearing of weeds and plant debris. © tidygardens

Three methods of weed control:

Mechanical

If we are talking about a small area, you can remove all weeds and roots from the soil manually. Where weeds are moderately distributed, in clean areas it is enough to loosen, rather than dig up the soil, in large neglected areas, sometimes, for complete restoration, the selection of rhizomes will have to be carried out after cultivating the soil with machinery. But if it is possible to cope without deep digging and with less turning of the soil, destruction of soil layers, then it should be used. Clear small areas and break the entire problem area into fragments. At first, it is better to mow a high herbage; with a less neglected site, you can do without mowing.

Chemical

The use of systemic and highly specialized herbicides and biological products against weeds allows you to cover large areas and reduce the amount of effort. Preparations are selected, taking into account environmental factors, side effects, the desired result, the timing and number of treatments, and apply them strictly following the manufacturer's instructions. But still, the remains of plants and roots from the soil will need to be removed manually.

Combined machining

Instead of several herbicide treatments, just one can be done to stop the growth of weeds, simplify the mechanical tillage process, or choose another method of suppressing grass growth that precedes the mechanical “cleaning” - covering with a dense film, a high layer of mulch, and further cleaning the soil of roots and debris manually.

Stones and other debris must be removed from the soil along with weeds.

Even the highest quality sampling of roots and plant residues from the soil will still not save you from work in the future. But regular and timely removal of young weeds in subsequent years will help to forget about their invasion forever.

Area before cleaning. © scgardening The area after cleaning. © scgardening

Soil treatment and improvement

Once the weeds, debris, root debris, and soil are cleared, it's time to start preparing for future planting and improving its composition. If the soil is loose, not compacted, it is better not to re-dig. Simple loosening will better preserve the bioenvironment, protect microorganisms, and allow faster restoration of soil fertility.

The composition, characteristics and nutritional value of the soil must be assessed and then improved by various methods:

  1. Organic fertilizers (1 bucket per square meter) must be applied to the soil in the freed areas using compost or any other fertilizers available to you.
  2. Also, a portion of mineral fertilizers is usually added to the soil intended for decorative planting.
  3. If the site was launched a long time ago, then before planning new facilities on it, it is better to sow green manure, which will help restore soil quality.
  4. Sand, clay, peat, leafy soil, compost and biological products are applied to correct the soil reaction.
  5. At high levels of groundwater, in places with increased dampness, lay drainage or take into account the type of soil when planning garden objects.

Cleaned soil, if the condition of the garden, the weather or other factors do not allow you to immediately start planning and laying out new objects, it is better to mulch. This simple procedure will help to suppress the growth of weeds, retain moisture and improve soil characteristics, and accelerate the development of beneficial insects and microorganisms.

How to get rid of weeds in the area: 10 folk remedies

It is unlikely that anyone will argue that one of the most time-consuming work in the country is weed control. You will only spend a lot of time and effort to get them out, as they climb again. However, there are ways to facilitate this work and get rid of weeds on the site.

Carefully dig the site

This is not an easy job, because it is not enough just to dig up the earth - you also have to scrupulously select all the rhizomes from it. But on the other hand, this is a very effective way to deal with perennial weeds - wheatgrass, thistle, gout and dandelions.

Treat with herbicides

There are a lot of opponents to this method, because chemistry is not good for the environment. But if you have a large area overgrown with perennial rhizomatous weeds, and besides, the ground is very hard, one shovel cannot do it. This is where continuous herbicides come in handy. The choice is quite large: Hurricane forte, Arsenal, Tornado, Roundup, Graud bio (1).

As a rule, they help the first time, but if suddenly they did not work, re-treat and increase the dose (half more than indicated in the instructions). The exception is Sosnovsky's cow parsnip. They do not act on him, only digging here.

Cover the ground with tar paper or black non-woven fabric

The essence of this method is simple - weeds, like other plants, need light. No light - they die.

It is more convenient to use roofing felt - it is dense, it will not be blown away by the wind. But it's chemistry. The black non-woven fabric is environmentally friendly, but it is quite thin - it will have to be securely fixed on the soil surface, for example, pressed with boards or bricks.

However, you can use other improvised materials - plywood, cardboard, pieces of iron.

The view of the area covered with opaque material is very unsightly, and it must be kept in this form for the whole season. But on the other hand, the method is very effective even from perennial weeds.

Sow green manure

Look at the nearest meadow - only low grasses live there. Have you seen an abandoned summer cottage? On such full-length giant, sometimes two-meter weeds. They are adapted to live on empty land, other plants are competitors for them. And so that they do not settle on your site, do not leave the land empty.

After harvesting, sow the land with green manure - rye, rapeseed or mustard. Mustard completely cleanses the earth of weeds and diseases. In autumn, green manure must be cut and dug up - it is also an excellent fertilizer.

Mulch between the rows

An excellent option is to spread the cut grass between the cultivated plants, for example, left over from the lawn. But it must be laid in a thick layer of 5 - 7 cm (2) - weeds will not be able to germinate through such a mulch.

Use compacted crops

Here the same principle as with green manure - the land should not be empty. For example, radishes can be sown between cucumbers. And next to the tomatoes and peppers - basil.

Don't spread fresh manure

It's full of weed seeds! Put it in a pile and let it rest for at least a year. When decomposed, this fertilizer is very hot and the seeds in it die.

Dig the beds with a pitchfork

This way you will not cut the roots of perennial weeds. And you can do it with a shovel for sure. And the more small pieces left in the soil, the more weeds will grow next year.

Pull weeds with your hands instead of cutting them with a hoe

Many harmful herbs, such as amaranth, can grow from the top of the root - they have dormant buds there. And in the end, instead of one thin weed, you grow a branchy bush with several stems, on which many more seeds ripen. It is worth not keeping track - they will all crumble into the soil and clog your site with terrible force.

Use drip irrigation

If water gets directly to the roots of cultivated plants, the weeds in the aisles will die from lack of moisture - they also need to drink. In extreme cases, water from a watering can without a sprayer under the root - slowly so that the water does not spread. But spraying from a hose all over the site is not worth it - this is the simplest thing you can think of, but this method of watering provokes the growth of weeds.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about weed control with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova .

What are the most dangerous weeds?

The most dangerous weeds are called quarantine. These include: ragweed (wormwood, perennial, tripartite), creeping mustard, long-thorny cenhrus, dodder, nightshade (prickly, tricolor, linear-leaved, caroline) morning glory (ivy-shaped and pitted), angular sitsios, sunflowers (ciliate and Californian), striga, succession (hairy, double-pinnate), serrated spurge.

Learn more