There are a few things you should ask a weed service company before hiring to ensure you’re choosing the best professional for the job:

• How often will you apply herbicides?

• Do you include any spot treatments or manual weed removal in your pricing?

• Do you offer pet-safe and kid-safe herbicides?

• What other lawn services can you provide?

• Do you offer any kind of guarantee for the work performed?

• Are you properly licensed and fully insured?

• Do you have any customer references I could speak with?

You should add 1 to 4 inches of mulch, depending on your garden type and needs. Keep in mind that no amount of mulch can completely prevent weeds, but a heavier coverage (closer to 4 inches) can suppress weeds enough that you are only seeing them sprout every few weeks. Finer mulch prevents weeds more effectively than large mulch, so if you’re using mulched leaves or shredded bark, 1 to 2 inches will likely suffice, while 3 to 4 inches is best for larger mulch, like bark chips or straw.

Like sugar, the common household staple baking soda has uses in the yard. Baking soda boosts your plants to resist pests, fungal growth, and more. So, baking soda is good for your plants in certain instances, but exercise caution, as using too much could kill your plants. It’s great for hunting for pesky weeds, but not great for tending to a sensitive garden.

Yellow patches, poor growth, or widespread weeds indicate a need for treatment. Soil testing can confirm nutritional deficiencies that require intervention.