Weeds are the bane of every garden. However, what many DIY gardeners don’t realize is that there is a connection between their soil and the types of weeds in their gardens. Here we look at 7 things your weeds are telling you about your soil with some effective methods to control weeds.

1. Your Soil Lacks Nitrogen

If your lawn or garden beds seem to be lush with clover, chances are your soil is lacking nitrogen. When considering how to get all the weeds out of your lawn, adding a high nitrogen fertilizer can help with clover.

2. Your Soil Has Low Fertility

If you’re thinking nothing will grow in my garden soil but weeds, chances are your soil fertility is suffering. While dandelions are the best indicators, weeds that love low fertility soil include:

- Yarrow

- Ragweed

- Dandelion

- Thistle

- Crabgrass

- Plantain

- Clover

- Mullein

- Sorrel

- Queen Anne’s lace

Methods to improve soil fertility include adding a good layer of 5 to 8 cm of natural mulch to your garden beds. It will help maintain proper moisture levels, and as it decomposes also add much-needed nutrients for healthy soil.

3. Your Soil’s Not Draining

When soil doesn’t have a way to drain properly, it tends to stay overly wet. This can interfere with your garden’s health, while also making the following weeds quite happy:

- Spotted spurge

- Knotweed

- Moss

- Bindweed

- Sedge

- Bluegrass

- Chickweed

- Goosegrass

- Creeping Charlie

- Speedwell

There are a few things you can do to help your soil drain well including using natural mulch as mentioned above. Other fixes include adding perlite/vermiculite, sand, or clean compost.

4. Your Soil is Too Dry

If you don’t take time to water your garden, or there’s been a draught, your soil becomes dry and could attract the following weeds:

- Mustard weed

- Carpetweed

- Russian thistle

- Yarrow

- Speedwell

Once again, a trusty organic mulch can help maintain moisture.

Dealing with a weed issue in your yard? At Van Beek’s, we can help by providing you the highest quality soil and natural mulches. Contact our team today.

5. Your Soil is Very Acidic

When soil doesn’t get enough oxygen, it can become quite acidic. As a result, you might notice a growth of:

- Hawkweed

- Sorrel

- Moss

- Plantain

To reduce acid, adding lime can help neutralize the soil.

6. You Have Alkaline Soil

In this case, you don’t have enough acid which can attract:

- Chicory

- Queen Anne’s lace

- Spotted spurge

- Chickweed

You can help balance out your soil by adding 28-85 g of Horticultural Lime per square metre of soil.

7. Your Soil is Too Heavy

Soil that appears very compact and is difficult to dig could be high in clay. The types of weeds that love heavy soil include:

- Horsenettle

- Pennycress

- Mouse-ear chickweed

- Morning glory

- Quack grass

- Plantain

- Bermuda grass

- Knotweed

You can make your soil less heavy by adding clean compost, composted leaves, gypsum, or compost pine park.

Does Mulch Keep Out/Stop Weeds From New Topsoil?

Because even new high-quality topsoil contains a smattering of weed seeds, your best bet is to add a layer of mulch to help keep weeds at bay. Fear not, Van Beek’s Triple Mix Soil is completely weed-free. Order yours now and have it delivered right to your home. Also, be sure to keep your garden beds filled with plants, or else airborne weeds will find a home there easily. Although it might seem a quick fix to improve your soil is to just add a new layer of topsoil, this won’t work. You just create drainage issues. Instead, always mix the topsoil with the exiting soil so you create a nice transitional layer before adding your mulch.

Frustrated that weeds keep popping out in your landscape? There are ways to control this issue. Contact our team at Van Beeks today to learn how you can manage weeds all season long with our top-quality soil and natural mulches.