Ways to Enforce Weed Control and Keep Your Palm Safe

Most palms are relatively easy to maintain.  But like most plants, weed growth is a prevalent and annoying problem.  It may seem like no matter how often you take the time to pull weeds out in your garden, they always grow back and flourish.

Weeds are basically just like the plants that you're caring for in your garden. They need the same basic things just like any palms and other plants: sunlight, water and nutrition.  As long as they have everything they need, best believe that they will keep on thriving.

Here is some ways you could control weeds and keep your palms safe:

Chemical

You may be growing an organic garden and the word "chemical" caused a knee-jerk reaction that involves scorn and disgust. However, using herbicides is one of the most effective ways to eliminate weeds from your garden if done correctly.

You can choose from two kinds of herbicides: pre-emergent (prevents weeds from germinating and growing) and post-emergent (kills weeds that have grown and continue to do so).

Some pre-emergent herbicides eliminate all seeds in the soil so if you're planning to use this, schedule it accordingly and don't do any seeding projects during that period.

There are two types of post-emergent herbicides. Selective herbicides only target common weeds and do not harm the surrounding foliage and your palms.  To be sure on what kinds of weeds it targets, read the packaging carefully or ask for advice from your local nurseries or gardening experts.

 A Non-selective herbicide targets everything it touches, including palms.  Be extra careful when using this type.  Palms are basically not affected by glyphosate (Roundup).   Beware of " Grazon "it is good for killing woody weeds and it will also damage palms by making them grow sideways until the trunk breaks killing the plant. Your neighbour may be using "Grazon" and the drift might reach your palms.

Organic

If chemicals aren't your thing, you could try organic and natural materials that you already have on hand, right in your pantry!

Some experts advise pouring boiling water over weeds to kill them. This is just as efficient as organic herbicides but over use of this technique will kill beneficial soil organisms and could eventually harm your palm.

Another home remedy you can use is a mix of 4 cups of vinegar, 1 cup of salt and a teaspoon of liquid soap. Spray this solution on your weeds and the surrounding soil.  Again, be careful not to spray close to your palms. Firstly do a spot test to see if it's going to work for the specific weed you're trying to remove.

Physical

You may have already been physically removing weeds from your garden but there are still other ways to prevent weeds from growing. One technique is mulching.  This simple process requires you to cover the soil with organic material to prevent sunlight from getting to the weeds.

Another technique is tilling where you plough or cultivate the soil so that the weeds are buried underneath the soil (green manuring).