• There are many ways to rid your lawn of weeds and many of them can be done without using chemicals.Flower and Weeds image by Towards Ithaca from Fotolia.com
  
  Weeds are the nemesis of the garden and the carefully manicured lawn. Whether they are planted with grass, ornamental or vegetable plants, gardens are our oasis from the rest of the world. Unsightly weeds that grow taller than the grass, spread into flower beds or take over vegetables are annoying to say the least. There are ways to take care of weeds without harming the flowers, vegetables and grass around them.
  
  

Pulling

• Pulling or using a tool that will twist weeds out by the roots is physical work, but one of the most effective ways to get rid of weeds. If you are working in a flower or vegetable bed, pulling the weeds by the roots and then mulching around your favored plants will not only get rid of the weeds, but prevent more from coming back. An effective mulching method is to place newspaper down first and then mulch with your compost, wood chips, hay or other chosen mulch.
  
  

White Vinegar

• Household white vinegar is very effective for killing weeds without using chemicals. Household vinegar is only a 5 percent concentration of acetic acid, but stronger vinegars (15 or 20 percent) made just for this purpose are also available. Spray vinegar directly on the weed and allow to work for several hours. Come back later on in the day and check the plant. The top growth should be dead, and you can pull this up if necessary. To be certain that the roots have been killed as well, spray the roots once the top growth has died back. Do this by spraying directly at the base of the plant (this will be easy once the top growth is gone). The vinegar will seep down to the roots. You can also pour vinegar directly on the plant base to get the vinegar to the roots quicker.
  
  

Smothering

• If you have a particularly weedy patch of grass or flower bed, you can use mulch or black plastic to smother the weeds. On a patch, purchase black plastic at your local hardware store or garden center. They will have dense black plastic used just for this purpose. Place the plastic over the weeds and secure with rocks or tent states. Be sure to weigh it down in the middle too, so that the wind doesn't tear it away. You can also thickly mulch a weedy area. If the weeds are taller than the mulch, mow or clip them first so that they are completely covered. The lack of light and air will kill the weeds (also any lawn that's under it, so be prepared for that) within a week or two. This method is particularly effective if you are looking to kill a weedy patch and replace it with new lawn or a new flower or garden bed.