SUPPRESSING WEEDS IN A GARDEN BORDER AND LAWN

Many gardeners complain that they hate weeding, that weeds are a nuisance, and I couldn't agree more.  I have found though, over decades of gardening, that the best way to deal with weeds is prevention.  I don't care for large expanses of gravel, concrete, tree bark, or weed-control matting.  If you plant your borders so that there is little by way of space showing between mature plants, then weeds struggle to find a place to germinate.  It's true.  I might still get the odd weed now and then to deal with (they can be sneaky and hide themselves among plants) but generally speaking, the time I spend weeding in my garden wouldn't be more than an hour or so in a whole year.  Think about it.  The more exposed soil you have, the more chance of weed germination. 

Perennials, grown close together, suppress weeds

The same applies to lawns.  If you dig out weeds out of your lawn and leave patches of bare soil exposed to the elements, there is a good chance that the seeds of weeds blowing on the wind, or deposited one way or another by birds, are going to find a place to germinate and take root.  The best thing to do is to mow lawns regularly (I mow mine once or twice a week in the growing season) which can make grass thicker as a blade of grass may produce side shoots when cut.  If you wait until grass is long before you cut it, you will shock the grass and weaken it.  You shouldn't be cutting off more than 1/3 at a time if you can help it. 

Every spring, I find that my lawn has moss growing in it.  My grass only has a couple of inches of soil over rocky ground and it's quite a challenge to get it growing well but if I can do it, so can you.  I admit, I use Evergreens Complete 4 in 1 in about April of each year.  I have never needed to do it twice.  I reseed now and then.  I do it the lazy way.  I just throw grass seed onto the lawn and water it so the seeds find their way down to the ground.  Whatever works!   I also avoid walking on the grass too much - hence the stepping stones.  It saves on wear and tear.