CTG Article Resources by Trisha Shirey There are certain places
in our yards and gardens where we don't want things to grow.
Maybe it's right next to the house or a fence line or near a
walkway and around electrical components, where it's dangerous
to use a weed eater. Or, we want to kill off grass or weeds in a
new path or garden. One option is to use an organic herbicide,
one that you can even make yourself. You could also solarize the
soil by totally covering it in clear plastic in hot months. Wet
the soil in advance for best results. But that can also kill
beneficial soil microbes. This can also be difficult to maneuver
if you just need to suppress a narrow or small area, or don't
want to damage valuable plants nearby. Mulch is a great way to
suppress plant growth, but it isn't always effective in the long
term, since it breaks down fairly quickly with our heat. To make
your mulched areas even more effective: layer newspapers and
cardboard on top of that. I do this for pathways and large areas
under trees