How to Get Rid of Weeds & Reeds Permanently

Prevent weeds in the lawn by keeping the grass healthy and thick. Fertilize in spring and fall, and water regularly during drought. Quickly reseed any bare spots. Don't mow the grass short; mow it at least 3 inches tall and leave the clippings on the lawn as fertilizer. Spot-treat weeds with a selective herbicide that doesn't kill grass. Most nurseries and home improvement stores carry both organic and synthetic choices.

Keep weeds out of garden beds by digging as little as possible. Instead of weeding an area for a new bed, simply cover the weeds with several layers of heavy cardboard or 20 sheets of overlapping newspaper. Pile compostable debris such as wood chips, yard waste, vegetable trimmings and coffee grounds on top, to a foot or more. Top with 4 to 6 inches of fine compost mixed with topsoil, Do this in the fall, and the bed will be ready to plant by spring. Because the soil is light and well-drained, any weeds that seed into it will be easy to pull.

To rescue an area that has been taken over by weeds and reeds, mow or hoe them down in spring and watch for new growth. When they have put on two mature leaves, spray them with an organic herbicide or a systemic herbicide such as Roundup. Each time they reappear, spray again. After about three times (Roundup works more quickly), they will be weakened enough to die.

Plant garden beds thickly to exclude light from the ground. Arrange newspaper six sheets thick around ornamentals and cover it with 2 to 3 inches of mulch. If your vegetable beds are big enough, mulch them the same way or simply lay mulch around the seedlings. You can use dry grass clippings, wood chips, compost, bark chips, pine needles, shredded leaves and the like.

Leave no bare ground for weeds to colonize. Cover soil with pavers, gravel or bark chips over landscape cloth. Plant grass, garden beds and ground covers to prevent weeds from moving in. Pull any weed you see. Getting them young prevents them from going to seed and spreading further.