In this article, we will be analyzing the benefit of weeds in a garden and just how weeds are friends in disguise.
Of course, reading our topic literally one is forced to wonder how an agreeable plant of destruction (weed) could possibly be seen as a friend, but remember we said in disguise.
Indeed with disguise, weeds can be considered friends or flowers. Though, this doesn’t negate the reality that they pose a threat to our plants growth.
We will show you several benefits of weeds in the garden and how you can use weeds to your advantage.
Practically, from preventing soil erosion to attracting pollinators, preventing soil erosion, reduce excess fertilizer in the soil etc, weeds are also your friends in disguise.
What are Weeds?
Weeds are any plants that you didn’t cultivate in your garden, yet they grow alongside your cultivated crops.
Mostimes they are undesirable and unwanted plants that grow naturally with your crops.
Weeds harm crops in the way they compete with cultivated crops for nutrients thereby reducing their productivity and yield.
Weeds may harm your crops, but they aren’t always unuseful. So, if you have weeds in your garden and want to remove them because you don’t want them competing for nutrients with your crops in the garden, have a rethink.
List of 10 Benefits Of Weeds In A Garden
Like we said, below are a list of 10 benefits of weeds in a garden and why they can be called friends.
1. Weeds Prevent Moisture Loss
The first benefit of weeds in a garden is that weeds help in preventing moisture loss. Several factors as precipitation, soil particles, and dry season affect the soil’s moisture, causing it to dry out.
While plants grow on the garden soil, they hold onto the soil’s moisture for survival. This drying out is responsible for crops withering and quick death during the dry season.
Since, soil moisture is necessary for your crops, especially in areas with low rainfall, weeds become beneficial to help preserve moisture.
As an organic material, weed helps to retain the moisture of the soil by serving the function of mulch.
This mulch will provides more organic manure to the soil, and help the garden soil to retain its moisture.
An example of a weed that prevents soil moisture is Comfrey. You can use Comfrey as a cut-and-drop plant. Just cut the leaves, then use them as mulch for your plants.
2. Weeds Attract Pollinators
Another significant benefit of weeds in a garden is that they attract pollinators by being a food source for insects, and in exchange, these insects offer pollination.
They transfer pollen grains to the plant, and these pollen grains fertilize the crops. With adequate pollination, your crop yield will increase and produce more seeds.
An example of a weed that attracts pollinators to your garden is the crimson clover flower. They use their short florets to attract bees.
3. Weeds Are Nitrogen Fixers
Nitrogen is an essential nutrient that the soil needs to produce healthy plants. It contains chlorophyll, the component that helps plant tap energy from sunlight. Nitrogen also contains amino acids that provide protein for plants to survive.
Your guess is as good as mine, weeds are nitrogen fixers, they provide more nitrogen to the plants by absorbing nutrients.
When they absorb these nutrients, they bring them to the surface for other plants to benefit from. Examples of weeds that are nitrogen fixers are vetches, clover, and peas.
4. Weeds Are Dynamic Accumulators
Another benefit of weeds in a garden that can make you see them as friends is that weeds are dynamic accumulators.
The roots of weeds go down into the soil and draw up nutrients to the surface of the earth for themselves. But, in doing this, the nutrients in the soil extend to the other crops in the garden.
Examples of weeds that function as dynamic accumulators include burdock, dandelions, sorrel, comfrey, and chickweed.
5. Weeds Attract Micro-organisms
Weeds attract microorganisms like insects and worms, usually you may wonder how this is a benefit to your crops, but be rest assured it is.
Micro-organisms help to create a healthy planting environment by breaking down organic matter and form more nutrients in the soil.
The insects and worms break into humus which serves as fertilizer for the soil. This fertilizer increases the availability of nutrients in the garden soil and makes it healthier for planting.
6. Weeds Break Up Hard Soil and Offers Aeration
Anothet inarguable benefit of weeds in a garden is the ability to break up hard soil and offer aeration.
Soil deficiencies like compactness can make planting difficult, but you have weeds to your rescue. When you dig out a weed from the soil, you may notice the roots may run deep.
This breaking of soil is possible because weeds have tap roots. These tap roots help to break up hard soil texture.
They pierce deep into the garden soil to break the compactness and make it easy for crop cultivation.
Asides from piecing the soil, the roots of the weeds are also beneficial in breaking up garden soil, causing aeration.
When the roots decompose, they act as a channel where water and air penetrates the ground to make it soft and humid for plants growth.
7. Weeds Help To Reduce The Excess Fertilizer In The Soil
Weeds are opportunists, they find every means to grow. So, when they enter your garden, they feed from the fertilizers you put in the soil to help your plants grow.
If the fertilizer is in excess, the weeds will eat from it and help us reduce the harm it would’ve otherwise made on legitimate crops.
8. Weeds Prevent Erosion
Another widely agreed benefit of weed in a garden is preventing erosion.
Erosions are one of the factors that damage the soil because water is likely to wash away soil nutrients but you have weeds to your rescue.
Weeds trap moisture in the garden soil and prevent the garden soil from drying out. But then, this moisture can cause erosion.
However, weeds with fibrous roots have structures that hold the soil moisture in place and reduce the impact more than should.
9. Weeds Protect The Soil From Harsh Weather Conditions
During winter or harsh summer, many gardeners find it difficult to grow crops because the ground becomes hard and dry.
Making gardens to be prone to harm from harsh weather conditions.
However, weeds function as a protective cover for the soil during this period. With the weeds in the garden, the soil remains moist, and the nutrients remain intact.
10. Weeds Improve The Quality Of The Garden Soil
It is easy for the soil to lose its quality when it isn’t in use. However, weeds help to maintain the quality of your soil.
With their roots buried deep into the garden soil, they retain the nutrients and prevent losing their potency.
Conclusion
It may look like weeds scream trouble each time, they are unwanted and annoying plants and you should get rid off your garden, but that’s not always the case.
Weeds are your friends in disguise because they provide nutrients that improve the soil’s quality and produce healthy crops.
So, when you think of removing weeds from your garden, have a rethink and consider the benefit of weeds in a garden outlined in this article so you won’t be making a regretful mistake.
We recommend removing some and leaving some depending on the amounts and season.