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Register to link up our Ask a Pro LIVE interactive eventon Thursday , April 10 at 1:30 EDT : Quinten will be learn your questions about all thing weed obliteration and control and offer his solution for your unparalleled skunk issues !
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Quinten O’Dea, Q&A Landscaping
Last calendar month , BobVila.com readers submitted weed restraint question on Facebook and Instagram and via our newssheet . We hand - picked our favourite , and wiretap Quinten O’Dea ofQ&A Landscapingto service answer them . In this installment of our call for a Pro series , Quinten tackles your questions about getting disembarrass of and preventing weeds with landscaping techniques . He ’ll also be bring together us for ourAsk a Pro LIVE webinar result about spring and summer weed restraint . Learn morehere .
Meet the Expert: Quinten O’Dea, Co-Founder and Partner, Q&A Landscaping
Quinten O’Dea has more than 15 year of experience in the landscaping industry . After graduating high schoolhouse , he co - founded Q&A Landscaping , which has grown to become one of the leading landscape gardening fellowship in the Pittsburgh , PA area . Quinten spent many days gaining firsthand experience , working each day on landscape care , mulching , and planting project . He now superintend the sale and operations of Q&A Landscaping ’s 16 - person squad .
To learn more about Quinten , check out out Q&A Landscaping’swebsite , Facebook , andInstagrampages .
I’m refreshing my flower beds this spring with new shrubs and flowering plants, and I’d like to make it uninviting for weeds. Would you recommend landscape fabric, or have any tips for working with a similar barrier to successfully prevent weeds?
Quinten ’s advice : I only recommend landscape painting cloth under stone , not mulch . Over time , the mulch breaks down and the weeds grow on top of the textile , creating a layering effect of different framework and mulch . I only like to use fabric with mulch when we have no other choice in managing the subsist gage below . If you are using stone , I certainly advocate the cloth .
What secrets do you have for keeping weeds out of your landscaping beds?
Quinten ’s advice : The secret tokeeping the weed at bayis to get them too soon , before they spread . Keeping your gardens and surrounding orbit mostly weed - free is the best way to prevent the weeds from multiplying . sate your beds with space - fill up evergreen plant flat coat covers and plants that have a wider bases or can helps too .
Is there a surprising bit of maintenance that could save me hours of weed-pulling in the garden later?
Quinten ’s advice : The best thing to do is to attract the weeds before they start to procreate , and tomulch early on enoughthat you are ahead of the pot .
Is there a landscaping mistake that you’ve seen lead to more weeds?
Quinten ’s advice : lay down rock without couch landscape fabric underneath them is a huge mistake . This create a longsighted term sustentation nightmare : the stones trap in mourning band and make it hard to extract the weeds out when they start to develop .
How do living ground covers compare to mulch for preventing weeds?
Quinten ’s advice : Ground covering are better for preventing weeds because they do not earmark space for the sess to grow . evergreen plant ground overcompensate that uprise to be at least a few in off the ground are safe for this because it is even more hard for a weed to grow from underneath their top . Over clock time , groundcovers fill in , while mulch will need to be preserve each class for optimal pot suppression .
Does colored mulch affect weed growth differently from natural mulch?
Quinten ’s advice : Mulch color does not affect weed ontogeny . Just ensure you get a skillful 2- to 3 - column inch bed !
What are the best landscaping practices for keeping weeds from taking over a perennial bed?
Quinten ’s advice : The key is to keep up with the sess until the perennial have filled in . The more you set , the quicker you win the battle against the weeds . Mulch in any open spots to help keep dope at bay until perennials have filled in .
What are the pros and cons to using gravel in the landscape to control weeds?
Quinten ’s advice : There are a few pros and cons to consider .
pro :
convict :
I am letting part of my yard go “natural” for wildlife, but I have noticed invasive weeds starting to pop up. I pull them up when I see them. What native plants can I plant to help keep invasive plants out?
Quinten ’s advice : Native plant life are going to vary by region , but the key fruit is to expend an evergreen ground screen or bush that is conk to have a bushy bottom and take up some infinite along the ground .
Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners
We ’ll help you set up your first garden — whether that ’s a few throne on your terrace , a raised bed , or an in - background game out back — and choose the correct plants for your soil and region .