No weeds, just biological diversity in the sea of flowers. Weeds can also be controlled without chemicals such as glyphosate. Effective and sustainable.
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Delicate violet nettles, the yolk-yellow stars of the celandine or the delicate candles of the creeping gunsel - they bring color to the garden and provide food for insects. What they all have in common: they are considered “weeds” by many gardeners. The definition of weeds actually just means “plants that grow unintentionally in one place”.
But you still want to get rid of these weeds in flower beds, in joints or on the terrace - preferably sustainably without chemicals such as glyphosate. If you do it right, you can be successful with alternative weed killers.
Destroy weeds in the garden:
chemistry is a thing of the past
Weed killers (herbicides) should actually be taboo in the garden and around the house. (...) The use of chemical weed killers is anyway prohibited on private paths or on the side of the house, so that consumers do not only endanger biodiversity, but ultimately also themselves.
Marion Ruppaner, BN agriculture officer on the website of the Federal Nature Conservation Association
For a long time, the chemical club was considered a panacea against weeds. So-called herbicides were generously distributed in the garden as powder, granules or liquid. It has long been known that they are not only harmful to insects, which are becoming increasingly rare anyway.
Toxic weedkillers can also be harmful to pets or small children. Babies are all too quick to put one or two leaves in their mouths!
Mechanical weed killers
– extremely effective
It is what it is - even if it takes a little effort: removing weeds and their roots from the ground is the most effective way to get rid of the uninvited guests. If you don't want to crawl around the garden on all fours, you can now find many devices in specialist shops that make it easy to work with.
Remove weeds with a hoe
To completely remove root weeds with a hoe, you should dig deep and then pull them out of the loosened soil along with the roots. Hoeing is only effective on seed weeds and young root weeds. With fully grown root weeds, it can happen that the root system is only divided and small residues remain in the ground - this tends to increase the number of weeds. A battery-powered hoe works well on large areas such as a vegetable patch.
Hoe from Gardena
Hoe from Wolf Garten
Weed cutter
as an alternative to poison
Some weeds have really nasty and deep roots, for example dandelions with their taproot. Weed pullers are ideal for such stubborn cases. These tools remove weeds along with the roots, so they can no longer grow back. This is easy on the back and requires little effort with ergonomic weed cutters. This allows you to grab the weeds from different directions and pull them out with just one hand.
Destroy weeds on the
terrace with the joint scraper
Weeds between paving slabs and paving stones don't look nice - and can sometimes become slippery. Chemical weed killers should be taboo in such busy areas where people may often walk barefoot. Instead, mechanical brushes or joint scrapers can be of good use here.
Joint scraper from Kent & Stowe won in a comparison test by NDR.
Remove weeds with the stainless steel brush
This attachment for the brush cutter is also used in public areas. The robust brush made of steel wire removes grass etc. from all cracks and gutters. Between paving stones, on the curb, on the terrace. Simply put the head on and get started.
To the joint brush
Heat instead of chemicals
: the hot tip against weeds
Heat destroys not only superficially but also deeply the cell structure of the leaves, which hinders photosynthesis and damages the roots. Since the weeds can no longer absorb sufficient nutrients and moisture, they dry out and die. After treatment, remove the plant remains with a rake and broom. If necessary, it can also be reworked manually.
Weed does not pass? With hot water, yes
Killing weeds with heat is proven. The principle is based on a simple calculation: most proteins are damaged at a temperature of 42 °C. This weakens weeds so much that they die. The “Weed Fox” only works with hot water, without any chemicals and 100 percent organic.
Order from OTTO
With flames against weeds
Damage protein structures with heat. The test winner from
Computerbild
magazine also works according to the principle of thermal weed destruction
. In the 2023 test, various weed burners competed against each other. The ROTHENBERGER Industrial RoMaxi Eco model won the race, which comes with a 5 meter propane gas hose and pressure regulator at a top price-performance ratio.
Free delivery on Amazon
Hot air burner: powerful against unwanted weeds
With a 650 °C hot air jet, the electric hot air burner destroys all types of weeds effectively and permanently. Practical: Can also be used as a grill and fireplace lighter and for removing paint and varnish.
Free delivery on Amazon
Mulch
saves the need for weed killer
Mulch is not only decorative, but also an effective way to prevent weeds from spreading in the garden. A thick layer of mulch blocks the light that weed seeds need to germinate. Organic mulches such as wood chips or straw decompose over time and enrich the soil with nutrients. Another plus: Mulch prevents water from evaporating, saving you from having to water it once or twice.
Trend: colorful decorative mulch
For decorative mulch