In The Garden with Danielle Brown | April 2025 Edition
In The Garden with Danielle Brown | April 2025 Edition
Chapter 4: Tackling Weeds and Embracing Spring’s Bloom
Spring has sprung! It’s not too hard to get excited about gardening this month. Every plant seems to be putting on a show. The evergreens that seemed so colorful and full of life during the winter now suddenly pale in comparison to fresh green leaves and blooms in almost every color of the rainbow.
Along with this abundance, the desirable and the undesirable alike are in a close race for dominance. I am talking about weeds. The definition of a weed is “any plant growing out of place” or something I heard more recently at a plant conference went something like, “any plant that has made a human unhappy.”
My gardening tip for April is WEEDS.
We deal with them everywhere, in our lawns, between steppingstones, and of course in our planting beds. Some are tolerable and indeed beneficial to many insects and pollinators. They can be tenacious and frustrating, but who hasn’t at some point in their lives enjoyed the simple pleasure of blowing the seed heads of a dandelion into the breeze?
There are many products to address undesirable plants in the landscape and I will not delve into all of them by name. We know the hot-button topics here. I will basically outline the types. There are pre-emergents which work to keep the weeds from germinating, post-emergents which kill the plant after it has begun to grow, and within these are selective and non-selective herbicides. These terms refer to special formulations that target specific types of plants or ones that will potentially kill any plant it comes into contact with.
It is important to know what you are using, how to use it, and what safety protocols must be taken. It does not matter how safe a product says it is; it is always important to protect yourself, other people and animals, and the environment around you. READ THE LABEL. The label is the law. If you have a contractor treating your landscape, don’t be afraid to ask what products they intend to use. All information is readily available, and any responsible contractor should know what they are applying, how to use it, and all safety protocols.
While “better living through science” is possible thanks to many wonderful products on the market, hand weeding is absolutely the safest option; gloves help. If you have never had the pleasure of pulling up a clump of wild onions-with bulbs attached, you are missing out! It is one of the most satisfying things I have done as a gardener. A good soil knife is my tool of choice.
It is my belief that a combination of treatment, hand weeding, and good cultural practices, like mulching, are key in keeping weeds at bay. It is also okay to keep a few sunny dandelions here and there.
About the Author: Danielle Brown – Project Manager at J. W. Townsend Landscapes
Danielle has 1/4 of a century of hands-on gardening experience and landscape design application under her belt. She is a VNLA Certified Horticulturist, ISA Certified Arborist, and is a Commercial Pesticide Applicator. She holds a B. S. in Psychology from JMU and a certificate in Landscape Design from University of Richmond. She is a VNLA Certified Horticulturist as well as a Registered Technician for pesticide application. Danielle joined J. W. Townsend, Inc. in April 2010 after working in sales and landscape design at a local garden center. She enjoys spending time with her two boys, cooking, gardening, and traveling.