Ground Covers

[mom2manyboyz]

Already this year, I am tired of weeding. I was thinking last time I was working in the garden that there are really 2 ways of preventing weeds: mulching or ground covers. Ground covers are much more practicle if you choose something that doesn't require a lot of water, because it doesn't blow away and doesn't need to be renewed each year.

In the past I've used these as ground covers successfully: Creeping Phlox, strawberries. I know there are many others that I haven't tried. Any ideas?

[SageMother]

Have you considered dowsing the weeds with scalding hot water? The process has to be repeated, but you don't have to bend over and pull!

[mom2manyboyz]

Thanks Sage.

I have heard about this and some people swear by it. A woman at work also suggested adding salt to the water. I should try this again around the driveway, since I can't convince myself to love the dandelions and nothing else will grow there.

[Green-Moo]

Have you considered dowsing the weeds with scalding hot water? The process has to be repeated, but you don't have to bend over and pull!

I imagine this would work on areas like driveways or patios, but you'd have to be very careful if the weeds were growing near anything you weren't trying to kill off.

[SageMother]

Thanks Sage.

I have heard about this and some people swear by it. A woman at work also suggested adding salt to the water. I should try this again around the driveway, since I can't convince myself to love the dandelions and nothing else will grow there.

Salt added to the water might do well, but then you have salted the soil so that it may be difficult for plants to grow there for some time to come. It might also have a bad affect on any plants that you like, and are nearby or "down stream" from the weeds you actually want to kill.

[mom2manyboyz]

True. I am going to use the hot water (probably without salt) around my gravel driveway.

I bought some new ground covers yesterday, ivy, strawberries and assylum. I've done strawberries before and it did well for me until it took over the bed and started choking my other plants. Oh well, with some luck, I will have plenty of strawberries next year.

[riskey58]

Have you considered dowsing the weeds with scalding hot water? The process has to be repeated, but you don't have to bend over and pull!

You mean to tell me that pour scalding water on them will do the trick? I will have to try this. Am tired of bending over and trying to pull them out. It's a back killer.

[mom2manyboyz]

Well sort of, I've tried it in the past and I had to do it several times. So, it will save labor, but not necessarily time.

As far as groundcovers go.... what groundcovers work for others on this list? I'd like to hear some favorites.

You mean to tell me that pour scalding water on them will do the trick? I will have to try this. Am tired of bending over and trying to pull them out. It's a back killer.

[Mickie31]

Wow I didn't know that scalding hot water killed weeds thanks so much. I will definately do this because weed killer is so expensive. I cannot believe that I found this out thanks so much.

[justontime]

I think you would need to be careful with this method, you could easily damage other plants and if you pour boiling water on to the ground you could kill worms, ants, beetles, caterpillars and other things as well.