How to Have a Weed-Free Garden

It's pretty safe to assume you didn't get into gardening because you really love weeding. There are so many other, more enjoyable things you could be doing in your space, like pruning, harvesting, or just relaxing with a cup of herbal tea.

A weed-free garden may sound like a dream, but setting up and planting your garden the right way really can make weeding a thing of the past. Like with pest-control, prevention is key. The more steps you take to prevent weeds at the outset, the less time you'll spend pulling weeds in the future.

I've used the following strategies in my own garden for years, and I've implemented them in hundreds of garden spaces my company has designed and installed for clients. And I can count on one hand the number of weeds I've had to pull in these gardens.

Read on to learn my exact method for creating a low-maintenance, weed-free garden.

What Are Weeds?

A weed is really just any unwanted plant. Common garden weeds include bindweed, crabgrass, and thistle. Some weeds, like dandelions and purslane, are edible (and full of nutrients), but still, we don't want them growing in our pathways or competing with our veggies for water, sunlight, and nutrients. Some weeds can also harbor pests and disease that can spread to your garden. Other weeds reproduce so prolifically that you'll be pulling them for years.

Weeds actually have a reason for existing other than to make your life miserable. They're "designed" to grow quickly and completely cover bare soil to prevent soil erosion. It's good to keep this in mind as you read through the strategies to deal with them.

Where Do Weeds Come from?

For the most part, weeds come from the ground and the air. Grasses and ground covers spread through underground runners that eventually send up shoots in your garden.

Airborne weeds come from plants that have seeds encased in light, fluffy materials designed to catch the wind easily and be carried through the air to new spaces. These weeds can land right in the middle of your garden space, which means you can still have weeds even if you don't have grass or ground cover that spreads. They literally show up out of thin air.

Birds and other critters can also drop weed seeds onto your garden.

How to Eliminate Weeds

Let's look at four different strategies to kill weeds and prevent them from growing in your pathways and growing beds.

Prevent Weeds in Garden Pathways

Pathways that you've cleared to make entering your garden and maneuvering around your beds easier will often end up with both underground and airborne weeds. There are two steps to take care of weeds in your pathways.

Step 1: Clear

Clearing the entire garden space of all vegetation is best done at the outset of setting up your garden space, but you can still go back and do this step now; it's just more difficult.

You want to be extremely thorough with this step. Use a shovel or weed eater to remove all the grass and ground cover growing in your intended garden area. If you have a large area to clear, consider renting or borrowing a sod cutter. There's another tool called a hula hoe that can be very helpful for removing stubborn roots.

If you've got a grass in your area that grows persistently through runners, then you want to be sure you completely kill off all the grass or ground cover around that area. Your first option is by spraying the area with a concentrated vinegar solution. You can find 20% horticultural vinegar spray at stores like Home Depot and Tractor Supply. You’ll dilute it according to the instructions, then spray the areas you need to control.

If you have something that even vinegar won’t kill, you can use a blow torch to burn the vegetation. These are two ways to kill weeds organically so you don't have to rely on dangerous chemical vegetation killers like Roundup (please, please don't use Roundup!).

By the way, I recommend tossing this vegetation in the trash rather than trying to compost it. Most home composting systems won't get hot enough to kill weed seeds.

Step 2: Cover

Once you've cleared your garden space, you'll cover it with at least two different layers to prevent weeds from ever getting enough light for germination.

For the first layer, I recommend buying a product that's actually a temporary floor protector called Ram Board or X-Board from the hardware store. Each roll is 3 feet wide by 100 feet long and costs between $30 and $70. This is what I put underneath my garden and all of my client's gardens. Each roll is well worth the money to protect 300 square feet of your garden space.

The thick paper will eventually break down, but it lasts long enough to suppress any existing weeds. These products really get the job done and will save you so much time and hassle for years to come. They're also much more sustainable than weed barrier cloth, which is made of plastics.

There's a cheaper option if you don't have persistent weeds in your space. Builder's paper is much thinner and sells for under $15 for 400 square feet. You could also do cardboard (just be sure to remove tape and labels first).

Whatever you're using, make sure to layer the edges.

The second layer can be mulch, gravel, or stone. You'll want to cover your pathways in several inches of the material of your choice. I always use gravel in client's gardens. It lasts forever, protects wood raised beds from moisture, and looks really nice. Plus, some mulches actually have weed seeds in them, so you're actually just spreading weeds around your garden after you've gone through all that trouble to clear your space. Really defeats the purpose.

Learn more about different pathway material options.

I recommend taking the additional step of surrounding your entire garden space with some kind of edging. This will hold your pathway material in place and act as a barrier against grass.

Now you've ensured your pathways will stay weed-free.

Prevent Weeds in Garden Beds

Once your space is cleared and covered, there are two more steps you can take to reduce weeds in your garden.

Step 3: Elevate

The easiest way to eliminate weeding as a garden task is by elevating your growing space. I recommend installing raised beds at least 6 inches tall. When it comes to preventing soil-borne weeds, the taller the raised bed, the better. Large containers are another great option.

Learn more about the best height for raised beds.

Step 4: Plant

Once you set up your raised beds, the way you plant those raised beds really makes a difference when it comes to weed prevention. Instead of spacing out the plants like the plant tags tell you to do, I recommend a method called intensive planting. Basically, you give each plant the space it needs and nothing more. 

My goal is that I won't be able to see any exposed soil 6 weeks after planting a garden for the growing season. (If there is bare soil, I plant more seeds for fast-growing plants like lettuce, arugula, bush beans, or radishes.) I want the soil to be completely covered by herbs, flowers, and veggies.

This is a critical step to prevent weeds because weeds grow in open spaces. Have you heard the expression "Nature abhors a vacuum"? This is the reason bare soil doesn't really exist out there in the wild.

Weeds love to fill all those empty spaces so many gardeners leaves between their plants. So why not just fill all those spaces with plants you actually want to grow? Covering the soil with plants eliminates weed possibilities. Why? Because they can't get sun or nutrients.

So remember, bare soil is an invitation for weeds to grow. Mimic nature and cover the soil completely with plants of your choosing.

More Ways to Prevent Weeds

Avoid Mulch

Mulch is often used to cover soil, prevent weeds, and retain moisture. The problem is, organic mulch is often full of weed seeds (and inorganic mulch is really not great for the planet). I prefer to use plants as a sort of living mulch. I also spread compost on the soil surface to add nutrients and create a barrier between soil-borne pathogens and my plants.

Practice No-Till Gardening

Digging and cultivating the soil can bring hidden weed seeds to the surface. With that in mind, use a long, thin trowel or hori hori knife when planting to dig a hole that's only as wide as it needs to be. Avoid pulling up spent plants; cut them at the base instead. And avoid working the soil unless you're planting a root crop like carrots.

Deadhead Flowers

Even if you're growing flowers and fruit you do want in your garden, their offspring can turn into weeds by popping up in unwanted places next year. We call these plants "volunteers". Prevent volunteers by harvesting fruits as soon as they're mature and deadheading (or pinching off) flower heads once they begin to fade.

Inspect Nursery Pots

You can accidentally introduce new weeds to your garden by bringing home a nursery pot that's growing more than the plant you wanted. Inspect any plants for weeds before you bring them home.

Use Cover Crops

Cover crops are fast-growing plants like alfalfa and buckwheat that can be used to retain soil moisture, aerate the soil, and add organic matter to the bed. Cover crops are dense enough to suppress weeds by simply crowding them out. Make sure to cut cover crops down before they themselves set seeds. Using cover crops is a great option for seasons when you maybe don't have time to garden but don't want the bed to lie empty (which, again, would just invite weeds).

Buy Compost & Manure from Trusted Sources

Make sure that any compost or manures you bring into your garden have been sterilized to kill weed seeds.

Should You Use Weed Barriers and Landscape Fabrics to Create a Weed-Free Garden?

Weed barrier cloths and landscape fabrics are intended to be laid on the soil surface or under raised beds to prevent weeds. When used in garden pathways, they should be covered with mulch or gravel. When used in in-ground beds, they should be covered in several inches of soil or compost. (You can still plant in these beds by cutting holes in the fabric.) Overall, these covers can be effective as long as they're covered in several inches of material to suppress weeds.

I used to rely on weed barrier cloth, but now I much prefer biodegradable options like Ram Board, builder's paper, and even cardboard. You might think that a non-biodegradable option would be better in this case, but weeds can still sprout and grow on top of this fabric. Aggressive weeds can also poke their way through.

Landscape fabric can often cost as much as my preferred options, so there's not really a reason to turn to them to cut costs. I always urge you to go with the plastic-free, environmentally friendly choice when possible.

Say Goodbye to Garden Weeds for Good

Clearing and covering your pathways and over-planting raised beds will definitely take care of underground weeds. Now, let's be real. Even with a perfect garden setup, airborne weeds can still pop up. But airborne weeds have such small root systems that you can easily pull them up by hand when you're walking around your garden.

By following these steps and putting in the work upfront, it really is possible to eliminate 99% of weeds from your garden. That means you can spend more time enjoying your garden and harvesting, instead of bending down and pulling yet another weed. I'd say that's well worth the initial effort!