Every spring lots of weeds in my Iris bed. There are weeds now after I kept them clean all year (Nov)
The best recourse is hand pulling along with some preemergent herbicides. But the bed needs to be weed free before using those. For grassy weeds, there are products that will kill grass but not ornamentals. But none of the products will eradicate all weeds.
You can lightly mulch your iris beds, but be careful not to get too close to the rhizomes or rot could set in.
If you get real desperate, you can always start a new iris bed, or remove all irises from existing bed, spray with a non-selective herbicide, wait recommended number of days to plant, then move all your irises back.
If you are very careful, you can "paint" an herbicide containing glyphosate on the weeds with a paintbrush.
Here is an extension publication that lists all the possibilities:
https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C867-8&title=Weed%20Control%20in%20Iris
I have recently acquired an allotment with a lot of weeds. Can I cover an area of weeds with a weed suppressing fabric or do I need to remove the weeds first?
It is best to remove the weeds first. Here is how to use the cloth:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/weed-barriers-in-gardens.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/using-herbicide-in-gardens.htm
I do potato farming in Kenya, and currently I am using organic fertilizer (tithonia, comfrey, stinging nettle, egg shells, onion peels). I soak them in water until they stop bubbling. Then spray either on leaves on into the spray, weekly. The results are amazing. I read from your post that undiluted stinging nettle is a good herbicide. If I apply it on the farm, undiluted, say, two weeks before planting, will it kill the weeds? Thanks.
I did some research on this question and have found nothing relevant to herbicidal properties in stinging nettle. I think it might make a better weed fertilizer since it contains quite a few nutrients. I haven't found any indication that it would kill weeds. Here's an article that may help you decide: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/nettle/nettle-as-fertilizer.htm
Chemical weed killer has not been effective.
It can take some time to eradicate weeds. You may consider raking off the gravel and applying a weed barrier cloth, then putting the gravel back. Some people use flame weeders for stubborn weed problems in gravel. There are safety precautions and this may not be a solution for you, but you may want to try it. Make sure you follow all the "rules," and best of luck to you. Here's an article that will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/what-is-flame-weeding-information-on-flame-weeding-in-gardens.htm
and another on general weed killing in gravel: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/controlling-gravel-weeds.htm
I have had good success keeping weeds under control in my gravel by spraying a mixture of salt and white vinegar. There was no need for me to buy the "super strength" vinegar, I used the cheap gallon-sized vinegar available at the supermarket, mixed with about a cup of table salt in a garden pump sprayer. Squirt on weeds, they will be yellowed within hours. Best done in heat of day so they absorb the salt/vinegar. Must be careful not to spray it anywhere you want anything to grow, because it really does stop everything from growing!
I have tried to eliminate the weed/trash flower in my beds for years, but nothing I have tried works. I pull it up but the runners run deep and proliferate. It is in the front and back of my house and I just can't get rid of it and refuse to use Roundup on it. Any remedy, aside from fire, I would gladly welcome. The flowers appear in spring/summer and are sort of long and tubular with stripes. I have attached photos 7761 and 7762. Thank you.
Here is information about the plant and also some ways to eliminate weeds without chemicals. In the case of rhizomes, chemical means really is your best bet, because any little piece of rhizome that is left behind will regrow. Whatever method you choose, it won't be an easy task, and will take more than one season.
Here's a novel idea: Lots of people like these plants so you could let your friends and their friends know the plants are available to dig up. Bring your own spade!
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/boiling-water-and-plants.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/safer-alternatives-to-roundup.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/impatiens/congo-cockatoo-impatiens.htm
I have a nice sunny area in an area of my lawn which is full of weeds. The weeds are a large variety. There is no grass in this area just weeds. I want to treat the weeds with atrazine then plant gourds. How soon after I treat the weed can I plant.
Since you don't have grass in the area, I would use a non-selective herbicide. You also could solarize the soil since nothing else is there but weeds, instead of a chemical application. If I'm reading the Atrazine label correctly, it says to wait a year before planting in the treated area unless it is grass. When using a non-selective product such as glyphosate, you can plant in about a week.
That’s all I want to know.
There are several weed preventers on the market that are suitable for gardens. We don't make product recommendations so I don't have a brand name for you but there are several. They won't stop the tree suckers from coming up, though.
Once you've removed all the weeds, you can cover the ground out to the dripline with a thick layer of mulch. That will help prevent the weeds.