Deseret Nursery Perennial Farm

Weeds were clearly intended to torment and afflict mankind. A weed is defined as any plant that it out of place. A single weed going to seed can produce thousands of seeds, those seeds can remain viable for several years.  The rule of thumb on seeding equals seven years of weeding.

You can win the war on weeds. But there maybe a few casulties along the way.  There are two types of weeds, perennial and annual. Perennial weeds (morning glory, dandilion, etc,) come from deep roots that survive the winter and come up each spring. Annual weeds (purslane, chick weed, pig weed, etc) die each winter, and are the more prolific reseeders. 

Many weeds can be pulled out or dug out. However, if any portion remains in the ground, they can reemerge, and those that are deeply rooted such as morning glory, can come back even stonger as a result. Those types of weeds need to be sprayed with an herbicide, like glysophate (Roundup.) It is safe to use.  Follow the directions on the label.

We do not recomend the use of landscape fabric in most situations.  A thick layer of mulch is the best suppresant. Take the money that you would spend on landscape fabric, and spend it on a thicker layer of mulch. Landscape fabric typically only prevents the weeds from coming up.  It rarely prevents them from going down. If weeds can find their way in the cracks on concrete, they will find their way on landscape fabric.

The best physical barrier to weeds is a thick layer of mulch.  When we say thick, we mean 4-6". This will compress to 2-3".  Before placing the mulch down, all existing weeds should be sprayed and dying.  Ideally this mulch should be replenished annually because most decorative mulches loose their lustre after a year, others breakdown.  When you take into account the water savings because of moisture retention, this can be a cost effective proposition. This method will usually take care of 90 percent of the weed situation. Mulches typically have minimal nutrient value.

If the prospect of a massive reinvasion of weeds is strong, it is best to reclaim smaller areas one at a time.  Additionally, space your perennials every 3-5 feet, so there is ample room to spray with an herbicide untill you have an upper hand on the situation. It only takes a light spray of herbicide to be effective. They are best used in the calm and cooler time of the evening.

Morning glory or field bind weed can be successfully eradicted. It is very deeply rooted.  Pulling it out, or tilling through it only makes it come back thicker. Its roots have been known to last for years under concrete. In the fall (October), the cool nights and warm days trigger to the plant that winter is coming. Growth reverses itself to the roots to store up energy for the following year. By spraying at this time, the herbicide is carried down deep into the roots and a more effective kill rate occurs.

Morning Glory or grasses that are intermingled amoungt ground covers or plants are best treated by letting their foliage grow out. Obtain a pair of rubber gloves with a felt lining. Invert one of the gloves. Dip the fingertips of the inverted glove into the glysophate solution and wipe it onto the weed foliage while holding it with the other glove.  Although the residual rate of herbicides is just  24-48 hours, it often takes a handfull of days to become apparent that the plants are dying.