5 Steps to Keep Weeds Out of Your Garden (For Good)

5 Proven Steps from Texas Native

Helping your garden flourish is a constant balancing act against everything that competes for your plants’ resources, including weeds.

If weeds aren't prevented or at least swiftly eliminated from your vegetable garden or flower beds, they can quickly become potent competition for the plants you actually want to grow. In addition to being unattractive and drawing in pests, weeds steal the nutrients, space, sunlight and water your garden needs to produce strong vegetables and beautiful blooms.

Tired of weeds taking over your garden? At Texas Native, we know Texas soil, we know what grows best here, and we know how to naturally keep weeds out. Explore our step-by-step guide for maintaining a weed-free garden this summer and learn how to stop weeds before they even take root.

Texas Native has everything you need to grow show-stopping flowers and vegetables, including an extensive line of all-natural soil, compost and mulch products made for Texas gardens. Available in bulk or by the bag at a home improvement store near you.

Still have questions? We're here to help. Contact us today!

Step 1: Prepare Your Soil to Prevent Weeds Before They Start

Good preparation is crucial to getting a great outcome in anything you do. That includes keeping weeds out of your garden.

In early spring, when Texas soil is still cool but manageable, loosen it up with a shovel or tiller to get your garden ready to grow. The goal is to break apart any impacted, clumped or dried-out soil, working to a depth of about 6 to 8 inches.

This step loosens your garden plot, allowing water, nutrients and plant roots to reach deeper into the soil while making planting easier. From a weed-control standpoint, turning the soil also buries any undesirable weed seeds that might be present, smothering them deep underground. That makes it harder for weeds to germinate and reach the surface, where they can spread and compete with your flowers and vegetables.

This is a great time to mix in Texas Native soil and compost products, like our Composted Manure and Growers Mix. This all-natural combination enriches your soil with organic nutrients and improves its structure, helping create the ideal foundation for a productive garden.

Don't know how much you'll need? Use Texas Native's free online mulch calculator.  

Step 2: Plant Densely and Use Ground Covers to Block Weeds Naturally

Sunlight powers your garden through photosynthesis, fueling everything from fresh produce to colorful blooms. But weeds need that same sunlight to thrive. By blocking light in targeted areas, you can naturally suppress weed growth.

One all-natural way to do this is to plant densely and strategically. By spacing your plants closer together and using taller plants or vines to create shade in the garden, you can control how much sun reaches the ground in your rows and beds. This can help stop weeds before they get started.

Another natural way to prevent weeds in a garden or flowerbed is through planting ground cover. Ground cover refers to a variety of hearty, low-growing plants that spread quickly over the ground. Once established, these plants create a low-maintenance blanket, protecting the soil and preventing weeds from getting the sunlight they need to sprout and grow. As a bonus, many types of ground cover produce beautiful leaves and small blooms.

Be sure to choose a ground cover suited to your garden's sunlight levels and soil conditions. Favorites among Texas gardeners include Creeping Thyme, Creeping Phlox, Periwinkle and Bugleweed.

Step 3: Install a Weed Barrier

Installing a weed barrier is another great way to strategically limit the amount of sun getting to the soil in your garden. This is an effective way to suppress weeds without relying on chemicals or extra labor.

A weed barrier is any cost-effective material placed over the soil to block sunlight and prevent weed growth, while still allowing your plants to grow through. Popular choices include black plastic, newspaper, cardboard, landscape fabric and our favorite: a 2–3 inch layer of our all-natural hardwood mulch.

When using newspaper, plastic, cardboard or similar weed barriers, you’ll need to cut holes where you plan to plant. One downside to these materials is that they may not fully break down, which can lead to extra cleanup after the growing season. You'll also need to secure them with stakes or weights to prevent shifting in wind or storms.

Texas Native mulch offers a "set it and forget it" approach to weed control. Made from recycled brush and tree-trimming debris, Texas Native mulch products create a long-lasting barrier that suppresses weeds and blends seamlessly into your garden landscape.

Best of all, our all-natural mulch decomposes as it ages, slowly releasing nutrients into the soil while keeping the earth loose and ready to grow. At the end of the season, just till it into your garden plot and it'll keep feeding your soil all winter long.

READ TEXAS NATIVE'S COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO SELECTING AND APPLYING MULCH

Step 4: Apply Mulch or Compost to Improve Soil Health

Just like you, your garden needs proper nourishment and hydration to thrive. While synthetic fertilizers are one option, they can burn plants, encourage weed growth, and leave behind unwanted chemicals. At Texas Native, we prefer a natural approach: feeding your garden with all-organic mulch, soil and compost to enrich the soil and support healthy, chemical-free growth.

Texas Native mulch and compost are made from 100% all-natural materials like recycled brush, tree trimmings and fully-composted manure. Our products are crafted using the same natural processes that build healthy soil — sunlight, time, beneficial microbes and organic decomposition.

In addition to boosting soil health, moisture retention and aeration, Texas Native mulch and compost help guarantee that your garden — and the food it produces — is nurtured by only safe, organic materials.

READ TEXAS NATIVE'S COMPLETE GUIDE TO SELECTING AND APPLYING COMPOST

Step 5: Pull Weeds Early and Maintain Your Weed-Free Garden

Gardening is hands-on work that demands ongoing effort and attention. Success starts with daily care, like checking for pests, disease or signs of stress, and ensuring your plants get the water and nutrients they need to thrive. Just as important is staying on top of weeds, pulling them early and consistently throughout the growing season to prevent them from taking over your garden.

Just like any plant, weeds need time to mature, produce seeds and develop deep roots. The longer you allow weeds to stay in your garden, the more likely they are to spread through naturally-occurring processes.

If a plant pops up in your garden that doesn’t belong, remove it immediately, roots and all. Be sure to dispose of it away from your garden beds, since some weeds can reestablish themselves if left on the surface.

Not a fan of bending and pulling? A garden hoe is a time-tested tool for tackling young weeds. For best results, drive the blade deep into the soil at the base of each weed to sever the roots and stop regrowth.

Contact Texas Native

For over 35 years, Texas Native has been collecting organic materials and transforming them into sustainable, all-natural products that beautify and nourish your garden or landscaping. We divert green waste from landfills and burn piles, creating products that help local contractors and homeowners conserve water, promote soil health and grow more.

Today, the Texas Native brand offers more than 40 different premium mulch, soil, compost and aggregate products across the state of Texas. Texas Native products are available at a home improvement store near you.

Have questions? Contact us today through our convenient online form, phone (512)259-7430, or send an email to info@austinwoodrecycling.com.