How to Clear a Weedy Border in a Flower Bed

Survey the border of the flower bed between the desired plants two or three times each week so that you're able to remove weeds while the plants remain small. Removing weeds while the plants are young also prevents the plants from dropping seeds into the soil to spread more weeds.

Insert the tines of the weeding fork carefully into the soil about 1 inch from a weed. Push the tines all the way into the soil and move the tool around gently to loosen the roots of the weed. Repeat this process two or three times around the plant to loosen the soil, which will allow you to pull the weed and root system from the soil in its entirety.

Grasp the base of the plant in your hand and pull the weed from the soil. As you pull, pay attention to how the roots emerge from the soil. If the roots threaten to break off as you pull, stop pulling and loosen the soil a little more with the weeding fork until you can pull the entire plant from the soil without leaving any roots behind to regrow.

Place the weed into the bucket after you remove it.

Continue removing each weed you find growing amongst your desired flowers in the flower garden border.

Add a shredded mulch to the soil to slow weed growth. Carefully sprinkle shredded wood chips or bark over the soil in a 3- to 4-inch-thick layer. Avoid covering the plants with mulch.