Herbicide can kill invasive plants and weeds, but there are risks, too. Learn what herbicides are and when you should and shouldn't use them.
What Is Herbicide and When Should You Use It?
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Definition of Herbicide
If you’ve ever run into a particularly tricky group of weeds — or invasive plants — then you’ve likely at least considered resorting to using an herbicide. Simply put, herbicides are chemicals sprayed on undesirable plants in order to control or eliminate them. Even if you didn’t know the definition, you might recognize some products on store shelves. For example, Roundup is a brand name for one type of herbicide, a total vegetation killer that contains glyphosate.
However, before shopping for an herbicide, gardeners should understand more than just the definition of the term. Horticulture expert Melinda Myers acknowledges that using herbicides is a personal choice. “Keep in mind that herbicides and weedkillers kill good and bad plants when the label directions are not followed,” she reminds gardeners.
Follow these tips to grow a natural, chemical-free garden.
When to Use Herbicide and Reasons to Avoid It
Melinda elaborates to say she’ll only consider herbicides in cases of extremely persistent invasives or weeds she cannot control by less drastic methods, like digging or mulching. It’s important, she says, to do research before reaching for any of these chemicals. “Some herbicides remain active in the soil form more than a season, and that can impact your desirable plants,” she says.
She also mentions that pre-emergent herbicides, often categorized as “weed preventers” that are meant to prevent seed germination, can stop the spread of desirable flowers as well as weeds.
Follow these tips to keep weeds out of the garden.
Choosing the Right Option
There’s no right herbicide for every gardener. Because requirements vary depending on location, the specific weed or invasive plant you are attempting to control, and even what else is planted in the garden, it’s always a good idea to be careful and do research. Read and follow all label directions for the safest and most effective control.
“Match the product to the weed,” Melinda says. “The label will tell you what weeds it controls, and how and where you can use the product.”
Get expert help on identifying weeds in your yard.
Prep for Herbicide Application
To minimize your own health risks when working with herbicides, make sure you’re wearing the right clothing (long shirt, long pants, closed-toe shoes, pants tucked into socks), including a face covering and eye protection.
Also cover nearby desirable plants to reduce risk of exposure. You don’t want to accidentally spray your perennials.
Other Ways of Controlling Weeds
Melinda emphasizes that herbicides can cause harm, including to pollinators and other wildlife. “We keep learning more about the negative impact chemicals once thought to be safe are having on the environment,” she says. If you’re concerned about the safety of pollinators, birds, and helpful insects, Melinda recommends not using pesticides. Avoiding chemicals altogether is always the safest choice.
Don’t intentionally grow invasive plants in the first place. If invasives have shown up in your yard, consider non-herbicide options for eliminating them. These can include digging, mowing, mulching, solarizing, and smothering.
Closely monitor your lawn and garden beds and pull up weeds when they’re small rather than waiting for them to grow or spread seeds. “I try all non-chemical options before reaching for an herbicide,” Melinda says.
If you have no other option, she says you should spot-treat problem areas, rather than the whole garden. For woody plants, cut and treat the stumps, then apply herbicide to the base of the plant.
Sources
- Melinda Myers, “Strategies for Managing Invasive Plants“
- Oregon State University, “Control Weeds Without Weed Killer (Herbicides)“
