The permaculture view is those “weeds” are enriching the soil, keeping the tree roots cool, and retaining moisture.
carmenarendt
That is what one does. Pull weeds.
TennistheMenace1979
What do you want there? Dirt? Ground cover? It doesn’t look bad and may be good for the tree.
ZumboPrime
Next time you pull them all out, scrape the soil away from the edge of the rocks and add 2-3″ of wood chips, thinner around the tree trunk. The chips will retain moisture and prevent most new weeds from growing.
Ippus_21
Depends what it is. I can’t identify most of it, but I see some clover in there, which may be beneficial.
Definitely don’t just dump roundup or 2, 4-D on it or you could well kill the tree, too.
Honestly, if you can stomach the way they look, it’s probably better for the tree to leave them. All that stone around it is going to prevent moisture from penetrating the soil and reflect a lot of heat back at the tree, which if you’re in a climate with hot summers is going to stress the fk out of it. The weeds might be the only reason it’s still alive.
That or plant some other hardy groundcover, like sedum or creeping thyme. Instead of killing the weeds, encourage something that’ll replace them. Hell, even portulaca.
lamettler
I would put down layers of newspaper or cardboard and mulch over the top. But you can’t let the weeds get so pervasive!
SensualMortician
Mulch. Remove a little bit of the soil and fill it in. You just have dirt there right now, so the weeds are loving all the sunlight. The tree will be better off with much around it too. You may still get weeds, but they are much more manageable.
Classic-Valuable-489
Just pull them
heretakemysweater
Pull them and then plant moss,
Direct_Cap4132
Keep on pulling!
ethik
Replace with creeping thyme
mental-floss
To keep it simple for OP, Preen is your friend. Or another product is freehand if you can find it. It’s never maintenance free though.
Most importantly the tree appears buried too deeply (difficult to tell due to the weeds). This will severely limit the lifespan to a few years. Remove the pavers, dig out the root flare removing any roots in the way, then lay down a few inches of mulch (not rock) without recovering the root flare.
With heavy mulch (again no rocks) you should barely have to weed. And for the love of Christ stay away from landscaping fabric and as someone suggested, a fucking blowtorch and weed killer.
CFHQYH
Fire
Franklin_le_Tanklin
If you pee on them the nitrogen might kill them.
Therego_PropterHawk
Pull out, excavate some dirt (carefully around roots), fill in with 3″ of mulch.
Couscous-Hearing
Pick the weeds and plant some ground cover that will fill the space attractively or wood mulch thick enough to prevent regrowth.
NotRickJames2021
Pull then or use a broad spectrum weed killer that’s safe for shrubs, woody plants, etc. SpeedZone or Tenacity are great and safe for your lawn.
SnooChickens9974
Pull all the weeds then put down a layer of newspaper. Then cover the newspaper with mulch.
pilgrim103
Google
jenmw19
Remove weeds, dig out an inch of soil and add a few inches of mulch. I would also consider removing those stones.
sp1der11
I see warm-season turf (bermuda?) which, for the uninitiated, isn’t exactly something you pull out.
I’d leave it. The tree certainly doesn’t mind.
OldManOnTheIce
Pull better
Maleficent_Soil_9279
You don’t have to pull them. The extra roots in the soil from the weeds is probably helping your tree as far as aeration and microbial growth.
If you’re worried about the look, you can put down cardboard covered with a relatively thin layer of mulch and it will keep it decreased marginally for the course of ONE season, then you’ll have to pull it up and replace the cardboard or mix it into your soil and replace the cardboard for the next season, repeat ad infinitum, but fewer weeds will grow through that.
Soff10
You can smother them with wood ships, sand, gravel. Or hatred.
myphriendmike
You’re not getting the roots
Ok-Bumblebee-5589
Pull em
Financial_Deal2367
Bermuda grass, hard to kill.. Vinegar, dish soap and some baking soda mixture.. apply daily for a week.. should knock it out. Tree won’t be affected
Odd_Activity_8380
Pull the weeds and then put down a water absorbent weed barrier down and top if off with a decorative rock to complement the tree and keep you free, well at least for a while
mgb5k
You have to think of the weeds as orchids and if in your heart of hearts you truly believe and want them to live they will die.
Or cardboard. Cardboard with just a few woodchips on top. That works too.
astro_nomad
Yoink those weeds.
Dependent-Art2247
Hate that stuff seems to multiply over night.
False_Fun_9291
Pull them and put a heavy layer of mulch down. They’ll still show up but less often and much easier to pull
Smallwhitedog
Pull them, then either mulch or plant a ground cover. If you mulch, make sure the mulch does not touch you tree trunks, or it could injure your tree.
37 Comments
The permaculture view is those “weeds” are enriching the soil, keeping the tree roots cool, and retaining moisture.
That is what one does. Pull weeds.
What do you want there? Dirt? Ground cover? It doesn’t look bad and may be good for the tree.
Next time you pull them all out, scrape the soil away from the edge of the rocks and add 2-3″ of wood chips, thinner around the tree trunk. The chips will retain moisture and prevent most new weeds from growing.
Depends what it is. I can’t identify most of it, but I see some clover in there, which may be beneficial.
Definitely don’t just dump roundup or 2, 4-D on it or you could well kill the tree, too.
Honestly, if you can stomach the way they look, it’s probably better for the tree to leave them. All that stone around it is going to prevent moisture from penetrating the soil and reflect a lot of heat back at the tree, which if you’re in a climate with hot summers is going to stress the fk out of it. The weeds might be the only reason it’s still alive.
That or plant some other hardy groundcover, like sedum or creeping thyme. Instead of killing the weeds, encourage something that’ll replace them. Hell, even portulaca.
I would put down layers of newspaper or cardboard and mulch over the top. But you can’t let the weeds get so pervasive!
Mulch. Remove a little bit of the soil and fill it in. You just have dirt there right now, so the weeds are loving all the sunlight. The tree will be better off with much around it too. You may still get weeds, but they are much more manageable.
Just pull them
Pull them and then plant moss,
Keep on pulling!
Replace with creeping thyme
To keep it simple for OP, Preen is your friend. Or another product is freehand if you can find it. It’s never maintenance free though.
Use a [weed rake](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D76K43LR/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_dl_QJ9ZPZBR5QT2TW4RJ4YB?linkCode=ml1&tag=slicehardwa05-20&linkId=c598e66401420025ff5f677cf521cab6) or cultivator to make quick work of yanking out the weeks.
You have hands?
Most importantly the tree appears buried too deeply (difficult to tell due to the weeds). This will severely limit the lifespan to a few years. Remove the pavers, dig out the root flare removing any roots in the way, then lay down a few inches of mulch (not rock) without recovering the root flare.
With heavy mulch (again no rocks) you should barely have to weed. And for the love of Christ stay away from landscaping fabric and as someone suggested, a fucking blowtorch and weed killer.
Fire
If you pee on them the nitrogen might kill them.
Pull out, excavate some dirt (carefully around roots), fill in with 3″ of mulch.
Pick the weeds and plant some ground cover that will fill the space attractively or wood mulch thick enough to prevent regrowth.
Pull then or use a broad spectrum weed killer that’s safe for shrubs, woody plants, etc. SpeedZone or Tenacity are great and safe for your lawn.
Pull all the weeds then put down a layer of newspaper. Then cover the newspaper with mulch.
Google
Remove weeds, dig out an inch of soil and add a few inches of mulch. I would also consider removing those stones.
I see warm-season turf (bermuda?) which, for the uninitiated, isn’t exactly something you pull out.
I’d leave it. The tree certainly doesn’t mind.
Pull better
You don’t have to pull them. The extra roots in the soil from the weeds is probably helping your tree as far as aeration and microbial growth.
If you’re worried about the look, you can put down cardboard covered with a relatively thin layer of mulch and it will keep it decreased marginally for the course of ONE season, then you’ll have to pull it up and replace the cardboard or mix it into your soil and replace the cardboard for the next season, repeat ad infinitum, but fewer weeds will grow through that.
You can smother them with wood ships, sand, gravel. Or hatred.
You’re not getting the roots
Pull em
Bermuda grass, hard to kill.. Vinegar, dish soap and some baking soda mixture.. apply daily for a week.. should knock it out. Tree won’t be affected
Pull the weeds and then put down a water absorbent weed barrier down and top if off with a decorative rock to complement the tree and keep you free, well at least for a while
You have to think of the weeds as orchids and if in your heart of hearts you truly believe and want them to live they will die.
Or cardboard. Cardboard with just a few woodchips on top. That works too.
Yoink those weeds.
Hate that stuff seems to multiply over night.
Pull them and put a heavy layer of mulch down. They’ll still show up but less often and much easier to pull
Pull them, then either mulch or plant a ground cover. If you mulch, make sure the mulch does not touch you tree trunks, or it could injure your tree.
Mulch?