A Putnam County gardening expert said residents should take advantage of warmer winter days to tackle weeds before they take over spring landscapes.
Certified Putnam County Master Gardener Serina Wells said preventative maintenance is the most effective form of weed control. She said tackling cool season weeds now prevents them from smothering plants later in the season.
“Probably letting weeds go to seed, to where one plant then becomes thousands because you let those seeds reseed in a garden or in your lawn,” Wells said.
Wells said the best time to remove unwanted vegetation is when the plants are still in the “white thread stage” with small roots. She said moist soil conditions make it easier to pull these young plants without compacting the ground.
“But that going to seed is your opportunity, just gotta catch them before they start going to seed,” Wells said.
Wells said gardeners can use a “chop and drop” method by cutting vegetative weeds and tucking them under mulch to decompose. She said a layer of mulch at least three inches thick helps block light and prevent germination.
“And I would caution people about using salt and vinegar just because if let’s say you’re using it in gravel or like a gravel driveway, that’s okay to use it in those situations because you’re not trying to cultivate any other plants in that area,” Wells said.
Wells said salt buildup in the soil can kill future plants and is difficult to remove. She said chemical sprays also require careful education to ensure they do not harm desirable vegetation.
“So don’t leave your garden hanging for too long and just get out there and be with it and familiarize yourself with it and it’ll be, the whole thing will be better,” Wells said.