Deal with weeds in your home effortlessly

A hoe with a fork can remove weeds stuck between stones. Inset, are weeds on a verandah. Photo by Kelvin Atuhaire

Few gardening projects are as satisfying as removing every last weed from your flowers or compound. Weeding can be enjoyable.

According to Fred Lukyamuzi of Lutex Enterprises, a landscaping company, there are five easy, enjoyable and natural hand-weeding techniques that can work for anyone.

Use a weeding tool
Lukyamuzi says there are many tools that can be used to pull out any weeds, but dandelions are his preferred tool. A dandelion looks like a screwdriver, but with an extra-long rod and a V-shaped notch in the tip.

The tip is pushed into the ground just at the base of the plant you want to pull out, then you press down on the handle and up the weed comes. Dandelions are preferred on grass that grows, especially between pavers. He says it works like magic but he advises on other weeding tools with hoe-like blades and short handles, which are good for slicing weeds off below the surface.

Water before weeding
The dry season presents some challenges yet weeds are easier to pull with their root systems intact if the soil is moist. This reduces damage to neighbouring plants when the soil is damp.
Lukyamuzi reccomends the use of cold water to wet targeted plants. It is effective on weeds that can regenerate especially those that have buds on their roots that can grow into new plants.

Sprinkle salt on weeds
This is an alternative on weeds that sprout in paved areas or wild patches. Lukyamuzi explains that it is not advisable to use it around desirable plants, because it can injure their root system.

Drench with boiling water
Some weeds can be difficult to deal with. Lukyamuzi advises that drenching weeds growing up through the cracks in paving stones or bricks with boiling water is a trusted process. He says water from boiled potatoes is even more effective.

Homemade weed killer
Lukyamuzi says for a quick and easy weed killer, one can mix at least 30 millilitres of vodka, a few drops of dishwashing liquid and 500ml of water in a spray bottle (the exact proportions are not critical).

Apply the mixture to the leaves of weeds until it runs off. He warns that
this will work only on plants growing under strong sun, and you should apply the mixture at midday when the plant is actively growing.

How does it work?
Lukyamwzi reasons that alcohol can break down the waxy cuticle covering of leaves, leaving them susceptible to dehydration in sunlight.

Be sure to wear gloves to protect your hands, and have a roomy pail or wheelbarrow handy to carry away the pulled plants. If the weeds you pull are not holding seeds, you can leave them on the soil surface as mulch.

When weeding
For weeds that have deep tools, Charles Lukooya, advises against trying to uproot with hands beacuse only weeding tools can work on weeds with deep roots.
However, spray those on concrete because it is hard to use a house to uproot them.
By Kelvin Atuhaire