xeriscaping in Eastern Washington without a lawn

We live in arid E. WA on a wheat-farming plateau. Our lot is about 1/2 acre. The ground is overrun with native noxious weeds. We could not win the war last summer 2007. The more we killed them the more they survived.

We decided to go with Xeric plants, stones, mulch, walkways and absolutely no lawn. There are approximately 8-12 different noxious weeds that survived all store-bought weedkillers. The weeds even crowded out the Dutch clover and Canada Green we planted.

No ground must show except the gravel drive---even that is a challenge.

We established 10 hybrid poplar shade trees last summer and 500 privits that line the fence. It's April 20 and the yard is already overrun with weeds whose roots are so deep they cannot be dug. If we dig them---more seeds are disturbed and more weeds sprout.

It's April, the snow just melted and the clay soil has already turned to hardpan but the weeds love it!

Has anyone dealt with this? We are considered Zone 3-4. Very little moisture, about 3000' elev.

I'm at my wit's end.

That is a tough challenge! For what it's worth though your noxious weeds are not native, they are introduced species that have taken over and choked out whatever native plants may have once been there.

Do you know if your weeds are annuals or perennials? If they're annuals, then it may be easiest to just leave them alone for now (but do try to mow them down or somehow get rid of their flowers before they go to seed). Then next year cover your yard with lots and lots of pre-emergent herbicide, that will prevent any new weed seeds from germinating (it's probably worth putting down some pre-emergent now too to see if that helps keep more from sprouting). If they're perennials and your yard is covered with them, the easiest thing might be to put down black plastic for a while to bake & smother them, then use the pre-emergent to make sure nothing new comes up. For any areas where you're putting in hardscape, gravel, etc (vs garden beds) it would also be worth putting down some nice thick landscape fabric underneath the rocks, gravel, flagstones, etc to help prevent weeds from getting a foothold there too.

I live in East Wenatchee before you resort to plastic and posion try newspaper and mulch. Lay down 5-6 pages of newpaper and put grass clippings, leaves, bark or what ever you have on top. It holds in moisture, smothers the weeds, the worms love it and you can plant right through it. I have been doing this in my garden for years. Mulch, Mulch, Mulch!

We live in a desert with out ground cover, the plants you have will get to dry. Natures way is to cover bare ground with plants. It protects the soil from erosion. Some great ground covers are Gaillardia (blanket flower), yarrow, portulaca, echinacea, flax, creeping phlox, california poppy, lupin, balsom root, blackeyed susans, callendula, godetia thyme. Sage, lavender, russian sage, yucca, prickly pear cactus and day lilly are also great. I have found it is easier to work with nature than against it.

Most of the weeds were once planted in someone's garden for food or medicine so get to know them the are interesting and edible. My garden hs been organic for about 7 years. I let the lamb's quarter and amaranth grow, they are great salad greens and the birds love the seeds. I allow the birds to have early morning in my garden the feed on the seeds and bugs.

We are in the process of pulling out old landscaping (plastic and rocks) we will be planting drought tolerant natives. Check out derbycanyonnatives.com they are in Peshastin, they have lots of info and carry local native plants. Hike around Badger Mountain and observe the plants in nature this will help you plan your garden.
April to the end of June is the best wild flower time and Badger Mountain has lots of flowers. It is one of my favorite flower spots. Happy Gardening!

This message was edited Apr 29, 2008 6:01 AM

Thanks so much for the good info. We spent the summer at Lake Wenatchee. When we went back up to Waterville it looked like a noxious weed heaven. It will take a lot of work but will try all suggestions. Thanks so much, "at wit's end" in Waterville.