While gardening is a healthy and fun activity, it also comes with some challenges — one of the trickiest is weed control.
One Redditor reached out to the r/NoLawns subreddit seeking advice for their current weed troubles.
The original poster shared a photo of a wide area of lawn covered in rocks with tons of weeds sprouting up throughout. They wrote: "Tired of failing weed barriers and spraying. What's a better long-term solution?"
One Reddit user responded: "Would make an excellent xeriscape garden if you're looking for low maintenance shrubs and perennials."
Xeriscaping is a landscape design method involving low-maintenance plants that require little to no irrigation. The best plants for xeriscaping, and any other landscaping, are native plants — here's why.
Native plants are adapted to their natural regions. Because of this, they require less maintenance, pest control, and fertilizer. They also don't need as much water, leading to lower water bills for homeowners. All of these perks equal big savings on time and money, and they are especially good for the environment in areas that frequently experience drought or water usage restrictions.
Natural lawns and native gardens also create a healthier ecosystem for pollinators such as bees, which benefits all of us since pollinators protect our food supply.
Switching to a natural lawn option like clover or buffalo grass can provide a manicured aesthetic to replace traditional turf grass. Alternatively, native plants and xeriscaping can offer colorful blooms and a beautiful, varied look.
Even a partial lawn replacement allows homeowners to reap the benefits of native plants, saving time and money while keeping their yard looking great.
🗣️ What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard?
🔘 Mowing the lawn 🏡
🔘 Controlling weeds 🌿
🔘 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️
🔘 I don't have a yard 🤷
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Other Redditors offered additional advice to the OP.
One user suggested: "The solution is to plant a groundcover, since the area clearly supports life."
"One native for you that has done well for me is rocky mountain columbines," another user shared.
One Redditor wrote: "If you have a budget to get someone to design and you aren't into designing yourself, hire a local landscape designer who specializes in xeriscape!"
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