Best way to get rid of a large patch of weeds - Ask Extension
Hello - I recently had a pollinator garden installed. The garden is overhung by a large river birch tree. The birch was shedding seeds right after the...
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Best way to get rid of a large patch of weeds #873635
Asked June 18, 2024, 2:57 PM EDT
Hello - I recently had a pollinator garden installed. The garden is overhung by a large river birch tree. The birch was shedding seeds right after the installation. The seeds are now germinated. There are dozens, if not hundreds, tiny little birch trees popping up. See the attached picture. Normally I would simply pull up unwanted plants or weeds, but this is overwhelming. I'd rather not get out the Round Up, or other weed chemical but will if it's the only solution. Do you have any suggestions for dealing with my surfeit of birches? I can see this will be a problem every spring. I don't want to take down a healthy tree just for this. Besides, I have plenty of other trees like oaks and poplars that also shed generously. Thank you for any ideas.
Anne Arundel CountyMaryland
Expert Response
Hi,
If you don't want to use a chemical then the only way to get rid of them is to either pull them, smother them or burn the foliage off. You could carefully paint on 'Round up' or another systemic herbicide but that seems just as tedious as hand pulling that many of them. Could you apply a thick layer of mulch to them to smother them? It would probably need to be 4-6 inches thick to have not not be able to push through.
Maybe use a hoe to quickly dislodge them and re-apply the mulch afterwards? Home remedies such as soap and vinegar just burns the foliage and can potentially harm the beneficial soil microbes in the process, so in a sense, use of a systemic herbicide could be a better option.
Hhi, Emily - Thank you for the quick reply and suggestions. Right now we are trying the dislodgement method but I expect I will have to get out the Round Up as well. I so appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions! This is a great service.
