11 Best Weed Killers for Flower Beds of 2024 [Reviews]

If pesky weeds start setting up shop next to your flower beds — or even in them! — they can ruin the carefully curated look you’ve worked so hard for. Even worse, they can steal nutrients away from your blossoms. You might want to buy a natural or synthetic herbicide to control them, but which ones are best to use for flowers? This list will tell you all about 11 of the best weed killers for flower beds, their pros, and their cons.

Top Picks

1. Preen Natural Garden Weed Preventer

2. Just For Pets Pet Friendly & Pet Safe Weed Killer

3. Ortho GroundClear Super Weed and Grass Killer

4. Preen Garden Weed Preventer

5. Miracle-Gro Shake ‘N Feed Weed Preventer

6. Natural Armor All-Natural Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate

7. Ortho GroundClear Weed & Grass Killer

8. Avenger Organic Weed Killer Herbicide Spray

9. Preen Extended Control Weed Preventer

10. Preen Garden Weed Preventer + Plant Food

11. Harris 20% Vinegar Weed and Grass Killer

Top 11 Weed Killers for Flower Beds – Reviews

1. Preen Natural Garden Weed Preventer

The best offense is a good defense. If you’d rather not deal with weeds, then you should prevent them from growing in the first place with a pre-emergent product like Preen Natural Garden Weed Preventer. This weed killer will prevent weeds from sprouting for 4 to 6 weeks.

Safe for your loved ones. This herbicide is made with corn gluten meal, a natural ingredient that’s safe for pets and children. They can even play in your garden immediately after application.

Doesn’t kill flowers. Since it’s a pre-emergent herbicide, it won’t harm your flowers and edible plants. However, this also means that it doesn’t do anything about established weeds; make sure to weed out unwanted plants before applying. This product will also mess with newly-planted flower seeds, so you should only apply it on established flower beds and gardens.

Specifications

• Active ingredients: Corn gluten meal
• Package size: 5 lbs, 25 lbs
• Selective: No
• Emergence: Pre-emergent, up to 4-6 weeks effectiveness
• Required equipment: None
• Price range: Moderate

Pros and Cons

What We Liked	What We Didn’t Like
✔ Made with natural ingredients ✔ Prevents weeds from growing ✔ Ready to use and comes with easy flip-top applicator ✔ Doesn’t mind the rain ✔ Children and pets can play in treated areas immediately after use	✘ Won’t kill existing weeds ✘ Can’t be applied on newly-planted flower beds ✘ Must be reapplied every 4-6 weeks

2. Just For Pets Pet Friendly & Pet Safe Weed Killer

Just For Pets Pet Friendly & Pet Safe Weed Killer lives up to its name as a pet-safe weed-killing product. Made with vinegar, this weed killer stops broadleaf weeds and grasses in their tracks down to the root. While it’s safe around flowers, it’s best to prevent as much overspray as possible.

Apply when sunny. Once it dries, this weed killer can handle a light shower; it dries at a similar rate to water. However, it’s recommended to spray this when you know it’ll be warm and sunny for a while for best results.

Great for pet lovers. Aside from being a pet-friendly product, this product’s manufacturer donates a portion of their profits to animal shelters across the country.

Specifications

• Active ingredients: Vinegar
• Package size: 1 gal, 2.5 gal
• Selective: None
• Emergence: Post-emergent
• Required equipment: None
• Price range: Moderate

Pros and Cons

What We Liked	What We Didn’t Like
✔ Made with natural ingredients ✔ A portion of each sale is donated to animal shelters ✔ Ready to use and comes with its own applicator ✔ Starts showing results in hours ✔ Safe for pets and children ✔ Kills to the root	✘ The nozzle that comes with the product isn’t very good ✘ It has a strong odor that can linger for a while

3. Ortho GroundClear Super Weed and Grass Killer

Are you tired of dealing with crabgrass, dandelions, oxalis, nutsedge, and other tough-to-control weeds in your flower beds? Ortho GroundClear Super Weed and Grass Killer targets 175 weeds and grasses that are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Its active ingredients work on contact and work their way down to the weed’s root system.

How long until you see results? Weeds will start wilting within hours, with the whole weed dying within 1 to 2 weeks. There’s no need to worry about rain washing it away before it finishes the job; it becomes rainproof within 15 minutes.

Block your blooms. This non-selective weed killer is strong enough to kill tough weeds and your flowers. Make sure to spray only where the weeds are and protect any desirable plants from overspray as much as possible.

Specifications

• Active ingredients: Diquat dibromide; Fluazifop-P-Butyl; and Dicamba, Dimethylamine salt
• Package size: 1 gal
• Selective: No
• Emergence: Post-emergent
• Required equipment: None
• Price range: Moderate

Pros and Cons

What We Liked	What We Didn’t Like
✔ Ready to use and comes with its own applicator ✔ Kills to the root ✔ Rainfast in 15 minutes ✔ Targets tough weeds	✘ Flowers need to be protected ✘ Some users report that the product was shipped without the trigger  ✘ The wand doesn’t always work

4. Preen Garden Weed Preventer

Like its natural counterpart, Preen Garden Weed Preventer keeps weeds from sprouting, saving you from the hassle of dealing with them once they’ve grown. However, this product prevents weed growth for longer — up to 3 months.

Safe for trees and shrubs, too. This pre-emergent weed killer can be used outside of your flower beds, too; it’s safe to use around 200 types of flowers, vegetables, trees, and shrubs. The only place it’s not welcome is your lawn.

Not safe for seeds. Like its natural counterpart, Preen Garden Weed Preventer prevents both weed and flower seeds from germinating. You should only use it around established flowers and other plants.

Specifications

• Active ingredients: Trifluralin
• Package size: 5.625 lbs, 16 lbs
• Selective: No
• Emergence: Pre-emergent, up to 3 months effectiveness
• Required equipment: None
• Price range: Relatively affordable

Pros and Cons

What We Liked	What We Didn’t Like
✔ Prevents weeds from growing for up to 3 months ✔ Ready to use and comes with its own applicator ✔ Doesn’t mind the rain ✔ Relatively affordable	✘ Won’t kill existing weeds ✘ Can’t be applied on newly-planted flower beds

5. Miracle-Gro Shake ‘N Feed Weed Preventer

Miracle-Gro Shake ‘N Feed Weed Preventer is a weed and feed product; it prevents weeds from growing while also providing your flowers with nutrients. If used early enough in the growing season, it can prevent weeds from sprouting for up to 3 months.

All-around nutrition. The fertilizer in this weed and feed product is a complete fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These are the three main nutrients needed for plant growth.

Pre-emergent. Because the herbicide in this weed and feed is a pre-emergent, it can’t do anything to weeds that have already germinated. This also means you can’t use it if you’ve just sown flower seeds because it will keep them from growing along with the weeds. 

Specifications

• Active ingredients: Trifluralin
• Fertilizer ratio: 10-10-10
• Package size: 4.5 lbs
• Selective: No
• Emergence: Pre-emergent
• Required equipment: None
• Price range: Moderate

Pros and Cons

What We Liked	What We Didn’t Like
✔ Prevents weeds from growing for up to 3 months ✔ Feeds plants ✔ Ready to use and comes with its own applicator	✘ Won’t kill existing weeds ✘ Can’t be applied on newly-planted flower beds

6. Natural Armor All-Natural Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate

Natural Armor All-Natural Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate is another post-emergent weed killer that is made with less harsh ingredients. It targets 250 types of weeds and grasses and is safe to use around flower beds, shrubs, trees, mulch beds, and so much more.

Ready to use and safe for loved ones. Don’t let the name fool you; it comes ready to spray – no mixing required. It even comes with its own trigger applicator.

Potent. Like other vinegar-based weed killers, Natural Armor All-Natural Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate kills most plants it touches, so you should protect the plants you want to keep. It also has a strong odor that can stick around for a few days.

Specifications

• Active ingredients: Vinegar
• Package size: 1 gal, 2.5 gal
• Selective: No
• Emergence: Post-emergent
• Required equipment: None
• Price range: Moderate

Pros and Cons

What We Liked	What We Didn’t Like
✔ Made with natural ingredients ✔ Ready to use and comes with its own applicator ✔ Safe for children and pets ✔ Shows results within the day	✘ It has an odor that lingers for a few days ✘ Flowers need to be protected ✘ Sprayer sometimes fails

7. Ortho GroundClear Weed & Grass Killer

Ortho GroundClear Weed & Grass Killer is another post-emergent herbicide that’s made with less harmful ingredients than traditional weed killers. It’s listed as safe for organic gardening by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI), so you’re sure it won’t be as harsh on the environment.

Results in minutes. This weed killer shows visible results (wilting) in 15 minutes, drying out anything green it touches. In 2 hours, it will set and become rainproof. Make sure to wash away any overspray with lots of water if it gets on your flowers.

Unfortunately, this weed killer’s formulation isn’t systemic. This means it won’t reach down to the roots.

Specifications

• Active ingredients: Ammonium Nonanoate
• Package size: 1 gal
• Selective: No
• Emergence: Post-emergent
• Required equipment: None
• Price range: Relatively affordable

Pros and Cons

What We Liked	What We Didn’t Like
✔ Ready to use and comes with its own applicator ✔ Starts showing results within 15 minutes ✔ Affordable ✔ OMRI-listed for organic gardening	✘ Flowers need to be protected ✘ Dead plants still need to be dug up as it doesn’t kill the roots ✘ Sprayer sometimes fails

8. Avenger Organic Weed Killer Herbicide Spray

Avenger Organic Weed Killer Herbicide Spray has multiple certifications under its belt that recognize it as a product fit for organic gardening. These certifications come from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP).

Smells like citrus. Unlike other natural and organic herbicides, this weed killer has a citrusy smell. This is because of its active ingredient d-Limonene (citrus oil), which strips away the waxy protective layer of whatever plant it touches. This dehydrates the plant and causes it to die.

Specifications

• Active ingredients: D-Limonene (citrus oil)
• Package size: 24 oz spray bottle; 32 oz, 128 oz/1 gal, and 2.5 gal concentrate
• Selective: No
• Emergence: Post-emergent
• Required equipment: Pump sprayer if using the concentrated version
• Price range: Moderate

Pros and Cons

What We Liked	What We Didn’t Like
✔ EPA-registered and approved by the USDA NOP for organic gardening ✔ Starts showing results within 2 hours ✔ Has a citrus aroma ✔ Ready to use and comes with its own applicator	✘ Sprayer sometimes fails ✘ Flowers need to be protected ✘ Needs sunny weather for best results ✘ Tough weeds may need two applications to die

9. Preen Extended Control Weed Preventer

Do you want a pre-emergent herbicide that keeps weeds at bay for a long time? Preen Extended Control Weed Preventer is the product for those that want to stop weed growth for as long as possible; it prevents weeds from sprouting for up to 6 months.

Safe for established ornamentals. Preen Extended Control Weed Preventer is listed as safe to use around 600+ perennials, groundcovers, shrubs, and trees. This also includes flower beds, except for those that are newly planted from seed.

Specifications

• Active ingredients: Trifluralin; Isoxaben
• Package size: 4.93 lbs, 13.75 lbs, 21.45 lbs
• Selective: No
• Emergence: Pre-emergent
• Required equipment: None
• Price range: Moderate

Pros and Cons

What We Liked	What We Didn’t Like
✔ Ready to use and comes with its own applicator ✔ Prevents weeds from growing for up to 6 months	✘ Won’t kill existing weeds ✘ Can’t be used on newly-planted flower beds

10. Preen Garden Weed Preventer + Plant Food

Preen Garden Weed Preventer + Plant Food is another product that’s good for homeowners that want to take care of fertilization and weed control at the same time. It’s a weed and feed product that’s safe to use around 200 types of established flowers, vegetables, trees, and shrubs. 

Complete fertilizer. The fertilizer included in Preen Garden Weed Preventer + Plant Food has a 9-12-9 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The higher-than-average phosphorus level can boost flower production in your plants. 

Can be used throughout the growing season. This product can freely be used during spring, summer, and fall to prevent weeds and feed plants.

Specifications

• Active ingredients: Trifluralin
• Package size: 5.625 lbs, 13 lbs, 16 lbs, 31.5 lbs
• Fertilizer ratio: 9-12-9
• Selective: No
• Emergence: Pre-emergent
• Required equipment: None
• Price range: Moderate

Pros and Cons

What We Liked	What We Didn’t Like
✔ Ready to use and comes with its own applicator ✔ Prevents weeds from growing for up to 3 months ✔ Feeds plants	✘ Won’t kill existing weeds ✘ Can’t be used on newly-planted flower beds

11. Harris 20% Vinegar Weed and Grass Killer

Like many vinegar-based herbicides, Harris 20% Vinegar Weed and Grass Killer will kill everything it touches. However, this product is available in a smaller 32 oz container than the other vinegar-based weed killers on our list, making it perfect for spot treatment or if your flower bed doesn’t have that many weeds.

Burns weeds within a day. Spraying this on your weeds will cause visible burns within the day. Just make sure to protect the plants you want to keep. For the best results, make sure to apply this weed killer when you expect clear skies for a few days. 

Specifications

• Active ingredients: Vinegar
• Package size: 32 oz, 128 oz
• Selective: No
• Emergence: Post-emergent
• Required equipment: None
• Price range: Moderate

Pros and Cons

What We Liked	What We Didn’t Like
✔ Ready to use and comes with its own applicator ✔ Made with organic ingredients ✔ Shows results within the day	✘ Has a strong vinegar smell ✘ Doesn’t kill to the root ✘ Flowers need to be protected

Buyer’s Guide to Weed Killers for Flower Beds

When picking a weed killer for your flower beds, there are a few factors to consider so that you can pick one that’s best for your needs. This buyer’s guide will walk you through how to choose the best weed killer for your flower bed’s specific needs. 

If you’re looking for weed killers to use on your lawn, cracks in the driveway, or anywhere else, see our list of the best weed killers overall, not just the ones that work best on flower beds. And check out our guide on how to get rid of weeds in grass for lawn weed control tips. 

Pre-emergent vs. Post-emergent

There are two types of weed killers based on when they target weeds: pre-emergent herbicides and post-emergent herbicides. Post-emergent herbicides are those that target weeds after they’ve already sprouted, working best when the weeds are still young. On the other hand, pre-emergent herbicides prevent new weeds from germinating.

Many homeowners looking for weed killers already have a weed problem. If you’re one of these, you need a post-emergent weed killer. 

You can consider buying a pre-emergent weed killer to use later on to prevent pesky weeds from growing if you want to. They’re applied a little differently. Here’s a short video from Preen that shows how their product works, although you can use these instructions for most granule-type pre-emergent herbicides:

Root Killer

Not all herbicides kill to the root, which forces you to dig up the whole weed with as much of the root system as possible. Otherwise, the weed could regrow; many perennial weeds like dandelions can do this. If you don’t want to deal with this, you should use a systemic herbicide that kills all parts of the plant. 

Natural and Organic Ingredients

Traditional herbicides are often made with harsh chemicals that can have negative effects on your health or the environment. While you can use protective equipment like gloves and be careful with your herbicide application, some homeowners prefer reducing the risk by using a natural or organic weed killer instead.

While organic or natural weed killers can still harm, they’re typically less harsh. Some ingredients you can find in natural or organic herbicides are vinegar and citrus oil. You can also make your own homemade weed killer that’s less harsh than the chemicals you can buy in stores. 

Fast-acting

Herbicides affect weeds at different speeds. The speed at which a weed killer works matters a lot for those who want to get rid of weeds quickly. They may want to replant flowers in the plot soon, or they just want to get rid of the eyesore of weeds. 

Ready-to-Use

Weed killers can come in a concentrated form or a premixed form. Concentrates are better for those that need to treat a large area — but they need to be diluted — while premixed or ready-to-use products are great for those that just want to spot-treat weeds without much hassle. Ready-to-use products are also better for treating small areas, like flower beds.

Rain Tolerance

Weed killers need to stay on the weeds to kill them, but rain and irrigation can wash them away before they finish the job. Some herbicides become rainproof within hours — some even within minutes — which is better for homeowners living in rainy areas.

FAQ About Weed Killers for Flower Beds

When to Order Professional Weed Control

Flowers can be a key part of your landscaping and curb appeal. So, it’s important to get rid of weeds that will compete with your blooms for space and nutrients. However, taking care of weed control by yourself can be time-consuming and quite tedious, especially if they’ve overrun your whole lawn and garden.

Why not hire a professional lawn care service to get rid of weeds for you? When you consider the cost of multiple DIY herbicide applications, professional service is actually pretty comparable in price. Professional weed control treatments cost between $65 and $120 on average, depending on where you live and how many weeds there are to treat.

While lawn care pros take care of your blossoms, you’ll have time for yourself and your family. Who knows, you might even be able to stop and smell the flowers elsewhere.

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