Natural weed whacking

Spring showers may be making lawns green right now, but they can also help weeds sprout too.  Plenty magazine reports that weeds are getting "more robust and aggressive, thanks, in part, to global warming."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service has found that rising carbon dioxide levels and overall warmer temperatures are helping weeds in urban areas grow like, well, weeds. The USDA has measured city weeds four times as tall as usual.

So how can we deal with these annoying plants -- without dumping nasty chemicals into the ground and contaminating nearby water systems?

The Green Guide has some handy tips. For spot killing, pour boiling water on a weed. Vinegar is also a good herbicide.

You can buy organic herbicides too. These rely on strong acetic acid (the active ingredient in vinegar), plus essential plant oils.

Another method for ridding your garden of weeds is soil solarization. Basically, you cover the area with plastic tarp for a few weeks and bake out the weeds. This also kills fungal pests.

Of course, the best way to stop weeds is to prevent them. About.com has useful info about mulching, landscape fabrics, and even using corn gluten to keep weeds from rooting in the first place.

Something to think about for the next growing season!