How to stop weeds in garden bed?

emmawigg

pls help we recently re did our garden beds - we put thick cardboard down, new soil and then mulch - but not the chunky mulch the fine stuff. Then after the weeds started coming back again we decided to go for another load of mulch but this time the chunkier stuff

Much to my shock weeds are still popping up now! Pls help how can I stop them Constantly popping up in my garden? Even old bulbs

MitchellMc

Hi @emmawigg,

Unfortunately, there isn't a way to completely stop weeds from appearing in garden beds.

Using cardboard or weed mat is very effective at preventing existing weeds and dormant seeds in the soil from growing up through the garden bed. However, it can't stop new weed seeds from arriving. They're constantly blown in by the wind, dropped by birds, or carried in by other means. Once they land in the mulch, they can often germinate there, especially as the mulch begins to break down into organic matter.

The best approach is to keep on top of them before they become established. A quick pull every week or two is usually all that's needed, or you can spot-treat them with a suitable weed spray if they're becoming more widespread.

From your photos, it doesn't look like you have a major weed problem, just the normal number that you'd expect to see in a freshly mulched garden bed. The good news is they'll become much easier to manage if you remove them while they're still small.

Mitchell