When necessary, herbicides should be used as a supplement to mechanical and cultural practices such as hoeing, pulling, cutting, fertilizer management, mulching, etc. Herbicides should not be a replacement for these methods. For many reasons, mechanical and cultural methods will not be possible for all gardeners under all circumstances. Since there are many herbicides registered for use in home gardens in Washington, it is necessary to know what they will do in various situations.
Several herbicides are available for use on home grounds.
Only a few of these will be discussed in this publication. More complete information is updated annually in the Pacific Northwest Weed Control Handbook. It is important to remember that herbicides are plant killers. Unless you use them with extreme care, you may kill or seriously injure plants you plan to grow or want to keep. Always read the label of every herbicide carefully and thoroughly before each use.