Managing Weeds after Planting

After you plant, you will need to continue to manage weeds. Here are some weed management options after you plant your desired species:

Mulching

Immediately after transplanting your desired species, spread mulch around plants to a depth of 3-4”. You can use woodchips, hay, straw, or other suitable organic material. Landscape fabric may be less desirable, as organic material tends to accumulate on top, allowing weed seeds to germinate. Removing weeds whose roots have grown through the fabric can be difficult.
Hand pull or cut weeds and refresh mulch as needed (approximately every three years).

Best for smaller areas that need to look neat and tidy
Use around transplanted desired plant species
Requires more time and expense up front but less maintenance over time
Plastic mulch might be a suitable alternative around annuals, but most plastic mulches do not last for many years, are difficult to replace around perennial plants, and may hamper ground-nesting bees
Purchasing mulch can be expensive; see if your municipality offers free or cheap mulch
Jumping worms can be moved in mulch; even buying from a reputable source may not eliminate this risk
Some ground nesting bees need bare soil. Conversely, many natural enemies, like ground beetles, benefit from ground cover. There is no perfect ground cover for all beneficial insects

Pull or cut weeds by hand before they produce seeds. If desired plants are planted in rows, consider using hand cultivation tools like hoes.

Practical in smaller areas or around transplants; can be used to remove small numbers of perennial weeds from direct-seeded areas
This method will cost less time and money up-front than mulching, but it requires a lot of time throughout every subsequent season to be effective
Perennial weeds will need to have their crowns or roots removed, depending on the species, otherwise they will re-grow
This method can be combined with other weed management strategies

Every time the vegetation (both desired plants and weeds) reaches 8-18” tall, mow to a height of 4-8”. Your mower will determine how high you can let the vegetation get, and the mowing height. Be sure to mow before any weeds produce seeds. This will probably require mowing at least four times during each season.
Repeat for two to three full growing seasons after you have planted your desired species.
Stop mowing in the third or fourth season.
Monitor for weeds. Hand pull or cut weeds, especially perennial weeds, or mow up to 1/3 of the area at a time.

Best for larger areas where your desired plant species have been direct seeded and where a more “wild meadow” aesthetic is desired
Most effective when weeds are annuals and desired species are perennials
Costs are minimal, but you will not begin to see anything that resembles flowering habitat for beneficial insects until at least the third season after planting.

Carefully apply herbicide, taking care to read and follow label instructions, only to weeds and not to desired plants.

Use on small numbers of perennial weeds that cannot be dug or pulled out
If using an herbicide, select one that is registered in your state and allowed for use in your setting. Always read and follow all pesticide labels, including herbicides

Beneficial Insect Guide Acknowledgements

This guide was prepared by Amara Dunn-Silver. Last updated on 3/17/2023.

Funds were provided by:

The Towards Sustainability Foundation
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Smith Lever project 2020-21-108
NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation