5 Tips for Keeping Your Yard Weed-Free
Weeding is one of those necessary evils when it comes to yard care. No one likes doing it, but everyone wants a nice, weed-free yard. The good news is that there are some things you can do to reduce the amount of time you spend weeding. Here are five tips for keeping your yard weed-free.
When you spend time weeding your yard, it often feels like a big project. But you hope that once it’s done, you won’t have to do it again, at least for a while. Yet more often than not, the weeds reappear quickly, and then you have to start the weeding process again.
Is there anything you could be doing to keep your yard free of weeds for longer? These tips will help you do just that.
1. Get to the Root of the Problem
Weeds are pesky plants, but they’re also opportunists. They grow where they can get a foothold, which is usually in areas where the soil is disturbed or compacted. Once they take root, they’re difficult to get rid of. The best way to prevent weeds is to make sure they don’t have a place to take root in the first place.
One way to do this is to mulch your planting beds. Mulch is a layer of material, like wood chips or bark, that you spread over the soil. It prevents weeds from germinating by blocking out the light they need to grow.
You should also make sure you’re not inadvertently giving weeds a place to grow. Be sure to clean up any leaves or debris in your yard so they don’t have a chance to take root.
And finally, keep an eye on the cracks in your sidewalks and driveway. Weeds love to grow in these places, so make sure you’re regularly pulling them up.
2. Pull Weeds When They’re Young
The best time to pull a weed is when it’s young. At this stage, the roots are not as deep, so it’s easier to get the entire plant.
You should also pull weeds before they have a chance to flower and seed. Once a weed flowers and goes to seed, it can release thousands of seeds that will spread throughout your yard.
If you wait to pull the weeds until they’re big and mature, you’ll have a much harder time getting them out, and you’ll also be giving them a chance to release their seeds.
It’s also important to pull weeds when the ground is moist. This will make it easier to get the entire plant, root and all.
And finally, be sure to dispose of the weeds properly. Don’t just leave them on the ground where they can re-root. Put them in a bag and throw them away.
3. Get Professional Help
If you’re struggling to keep your yard weed-free, you may want to consider getting professional help. A lawn care company such as the lawn service Cedar Park can come in and help you get your weed problem under control.
They can do a thorough assessment of your yard and come up with a plan to get rid of the weeds and prevent them from coming back. If you’ve been thinking of improving your lawn and getting some fresh turf laid, this would give a lawn care company the opportunity to dig well below your lawn to ensure the soil is free of weeds underneath first.
If you’re not sure how to get started with your weed problem, or if you’re just feeling overwhelmed, professional help may be the best solution.
4. Use Herbicides
If you have a serious weed problem, you may need to resort to herbicides. There are many different products on the market, so be sure to read the labels carefully and choose one that’s appropriate for your needs.
Herbicides can be very effective, but they should be used as a last resort. They can also be harmful to the environment if not used properly.
If you do decide to use herbicides, be sure to follow the directions carefully and only use them when necessary. If you have children or pets, be sure to keep them away from the treated area until the herbicide has had a chance to dry.
5. Don’t Give Weeds a Place to Grow
As previously mentioned, weeds are opportunists. They’ll take root wherever they can get a foothold. This means that if you’re not careful, they can easily take over your yard.
One way to prevent this is to make sure you’re not inadvertently giving them a place to grow. Be sure to clean up any leaves or debris in your yard on a regular basis so they don’t have a chance to take root.
And be sure to keep an eye on the cracks in your sidewalks and driveway. Weeds love to grow in these places, so invest in a weed remover tool that can easily get into these cracks and pull the weeds out.
Keeping up with your yard work can be difficult if you have a busy schedule, but even spending an hour week pulling up young weeds and clearing away debris can help you keep on top of your weed problem. You could even turn it into a game with your kids, or make it something the whole household pitches in with, to be rewarded with a hot chocolate or another treat afterwards!
By following these tips, you can spend less time weeding your yard and more time enjoying it.
What You Need to Know to Adult Like an Expert
Do you struggle with adulting? Many teens and young adults leave home with fewer life skills than in the past because their time is taken up with school and work. In addition, they are likely to have had both parents working while they were growing up, making it harder to teach life skills. Home economics and personal finance classes are often being dropped from school schedules as well. All of this means that you might feel like the world forgot to teach you a few things and now you are finding out they’re pretty important. Here are some of the most important life skills you need to live on your own and begin adulting.
Get a Credit Card
While a credit card itself isn’t a super important adulting skill, it is important to begin building your credit for the future. It can be difficult or impossible to get a loan if you don’t have any credit, but it’s not as hard to get a credit card. Be cautious when choosing a card and make sure you understand the fees, interest level, and other important features before you commit. Read credit card reviews and talk to trusted mentors. Most importantly, learn how to use it responsibly or you will hurt your credit, rather than build it.
Learn How to File a Tax Return
You can save money by filing your own taxes and with the online programs available, it’s not too hard as long as you have a simple tax return. It might be a bit more confusing if you are self-employed, but for the average young adult, it’s pretty straightforward. Just have your paperwork ready and follow the instructions on the program you are using. If you are uncomfortable doing it alone, ask someone who has the experience to help you the first time.
Make a Budget
Every adult needs to know how to budget and track spending. Different budgets work better for different personalities, so you will be more successful if you choose a budget that works for you. When setting up your budget, realize that you can’t anticipate all expenses. It’s a good idea to leave some margin in the budget for emergency expenses and leave that money unspent if it’s not needed. Eventually, you will have a good-sized emergency account. Track your expenses each month so you will know how well you are staying on track.
Learn How to Cook Basic Meals
When you are just beginning your independent life, you might not know how to make many different meals. Commit to learning how to cook new meals until you are comfortable with several recipes. It can seem silly to cook elaborate meals for one or two people, so stick with reliable and easy staples that you are likely to eat frequently. If you have a busy schedule, try new meals on the weekends. Besides learning a needed skill (feeding yourself) you may also find an enjoyable and fulfilling hobby!
Know How to Change a Tire
Everyone who drives a car should know how to change a tire if needed. If you don’t know how to do this, consider asking a friend or mentor to teach you. Practice several times because it’s easy to think you understand it after seeing it done, but the task can be harder than it looks when it’s time to do it yourself.
Know How to Do Laundry (Properly)
Everyone should know the basics of doing laundry at home and in a laundromat. For the best results, laundry should be separated by color and type of fabric before washing. If most of your clothes are durable you may be able to get satisfactory results without this step, but you still need to know how to do it. You should also learn how to properly iron clothes and how to read labels.
Learn How to Write a Check
Even though personal checks are becoming rare, you may encounter a situation in which you need to use one. In these cases, there may not be an alternative and you need to know how to fill out a check. You also need to know how to sign and cash a check that you receive.
Learn Basic Home Maintenance
When you move away from home for the first time, you need to know how to perform basic home maintenance skills such as plunging a toilet, changing the filters on the heater, and how often to change the smoke alarm batteries. You need to understand what items can go down the drains and toilet, and how to properly dispose of things (like grease) that should never, ever go down the drains.
Know How Not to Start a Fire
Every teen and young adult should understand how to avoid accidentally starting a fire. First, since most daytime fires are started in the kitchen, never leave food unattended while it’s cooking. You can leave food in the oven, but check it often and it’s usually better not to leave the house unless you are cooking something long and low, like a Thanksgiving turkey or something in a slow cooker. Never leave a candle unattended, either.
You should understand how to put out a fire, as well. Learn how to properly use a fire extinguisher and how to smother a grease fire (never use water!)
Learn CPR and Basic First Aid
Every adult and teen should know CPR and basic first aid. This lifesaving skill is so easy to learn and so important that there’s no reason not to know it. One of the reasons people panic in scary situations is that they lack knowledge and simply don’t know what to do. Learn and practice CPR and get recertified every two years.
Know How to Use Common Medicines
You should know how to use common medicines and how to read the labels. While over-the-counter medicines are usually considered safe, they have to be used according to the directions or you can be harmed, sickened, or even killed. Mixing medicines, overdosing, or taking medicine too often can be dangerous. When you are taking medicine, make sure you aren’t accidentally double-dosing one of the ingredients. For example, acetaminophen is a common ingredient in cold medicine, and also commonly available alone, so it’s easy to accidentally take two doses if you don’t check the ingredients.