Weeds are the bane of every gardener’s existence, and we often go to great lengths to prevent them from taking over our lawns and gardens. Despite their reputation, however, weeds aren’t all bad.

Some of them are beneficial to pollinators, and some make a tasty addition to a salad, but there’s one thing they all can do: they can give you important information about your soil.

Read: DIY Weed-Be-Gone Spray – Better Alternative That Works Compared To Harsh Chemicals

Learn from the Weeds

If you have large patches of one type of weed growing on your property, it is likely because your soil is conducive to that particular plant. For this reason, weeds can tell you a lot about the health of your soil. 

This list from the Farmer’s Almanac gives you examples of common weeds and what they might be saying about your soil:

Amaranth: grows in rich, high-nitrogen soil

Bindweed: grows in crusty and compact soil

Chickweed and chicory: rich, alkaline, compact, high-nitrogen soil

Common groundsel: rich soil

Crabgrass: nutrient-depleted, low-calcium soil

Dandelions: poor, low calcium soil, that is high in potassium

Dock and Goldenrod: wet, poorly drained soil

Fragile Fern: near-neutral, dry soil

Henbit: high nitrogen

Knapweed: rich, high-potassium soil

Knotweed: compact soil

Lambsquarters: rich, high-nitrogen soil

Moss: Soggy, acidic, low-nutrient soil

Mullein: acidic soil with low fertility

Mustard: dry, sandy soil, high phosphorous

Ostrich fern: exceptionally fertile soil

Oxalis or wood sorrel: low calcium, high magnesium

Ox-eye daisies: acidic, soggy soil with low fertility

Pearly everlasting: acidic soil that is low in nutrients

Peppergrass: sweet soil

Plantain: compact, sour soil with low fertility and heavy clay

Purslane: rich soil, high in phosphorus

Quackgrass: heavy, compact, clay soil

Queen Anne’s Lace: poor, sweet soil

Ragweed: low fertility

Stinging nettle: rich, acidic soil

Sheep sorrel: dry, sandy, nutrient-depleted acidic soil, low in calcium

Yarrow: sandy, dry, low-fertility soil that is low in potassium [1]

Useful Weeds

As mentioned, some weeds are quite useful, and can be a source of pollen for bees or even nutrition for people.

Dandelions are great for springtime pollinators, and their greens make an excellent, nutrient-dense addition to salads. Purslane is also very nutritious and is delicious in salads and soups [1].

Stinging nettle is sometimes referred to as a super-plant, and has been used in traditional medicine for a variety of issues ranging from allergies to sunburns, and is often used in herbal tea [2].

There are plenty of other edible weeds out there as well, including Nasturtium (edible flowers), bamboo, and prickly pear, to name a few [3].

Check out this video to learn about several other types of edible weeds that might be growing in your garden.

Read: Bad Neighbors: 11 Plant Pairs Never to Grow Side by Side

How to Get Rid of Weeds

Weeds are called weed because of their tendency to take over your garden or lawn, and choke out other plants, and just because you can eat some of them does not necessarily mean you want your entire yard filled with them.

While often pulling them out or digging them up is the most common and often the most effective method of weed-control, there are a few steps you can take to discourage them from growing in the first place.

One way to prevent weeds from proliferating is to cover them with mulch before they start to grow. The mulch will block out the sunlight that the seeds need to germinate, while providing other benefits to your soil and garden. A two-inch layer should do the trick [4].

Cover crops work in a similar fashion to mulch, and can be used in certain situations. Wheat, clover, and barley are all beneficial plants that can spread fairly easily and prevent sunlight from reaching the soil.

There is some research suggesting that weed growth can be stimulated by exposure to a sudden flash of light, which is what happens when you turn your soil. For this reason, it is best to disturb your soil as little as possible. If you must stir your soil, do so at night to avoid exposing weed seeds to the sun.

Weeds also tend to grow near the edges of gardens, so just by simply keeping the edges trimmed you can avoid an invasion. You should also avoid leaving wide open spaces in your garden, because that creates an easy spot for weeds to proliferate.

Of course, depending on the weed that is growing, you could always leave them be, and then eat them [4].

Know Thy Enemy

If you are dealing with a weed infestation, it is important to know what specific plant you’re dealing with in order to have the best shot at eradicating it. If you’re not sure what type of weed is growing in your backyard, check out this list of common weeds and how to get rid of them.

Keep Reading: 10 Secret Ingredients to Make Your Garden Grow

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