There is nothing more irritating that weeds that creep into your well-tended flowerbed or vegetable garden. You spend hours working the soil and feeding your plants only to realize that once again your garden has been overrun with weeds. While you could spend a small fortune on plastic, herbicides and other weed prevention contraptions, it’s much more environmentally responsible, not to mention cheaper, to use some of the every day items you have around the house. Not only will you keep these items out of landfills, but also you’ll keep the local wildlife safe as well.

One of the easiest and best weed barriers you can use is newspaper or cardboard. Both newspaper and cardboard are organic materials, meaning that they will decompose, depositing vital nutrients back into the soil, while preventing weeds from growing in your garden. Newspaper and cardboard can be installed in the same manner as garden plastic and is actually more effective at preventing weeds from sprouting.

Another option is a carpet remnant or a shower curtain. While neither of these items provides the same benefits as newspaper or cardboard, they do provide excellent weed-stopping action. It’s best to use a natural fiber carpet remnant as synthetic fibers can contain harmful substances and actually prevent plants from thriving. Plastic shower curtains work in the same manner as regular garden plastic, however most are quite a bit thicker, making them more effective. A better alternative would be to use cotton or linen shower curtains as the fibers will break down over time.

If you were looking for a place to send your old clothes but you just can’t seem to make it to the thrift store to donate, why not use them in your flower garden? That’s right. You can use old clothing as a barrier to stop weeds in their tracks, costing you nothing.

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