My least favorite task when gardening is weeding. I often think that when I pull one weed, two more weeds appear! Over the years, I have tried many ways to control weed problems. Below are some ways that may help prevent weeds from taking over your garden.
One of the easiest methods is to look daily for weeds. Catching the little leaves as they push through the soil not only makes them easy to pull but also makes it easy to stay ahead of a problem. This also gives you time to inspect each plant for possible insect damage or diseases.
Water the plants, not the soil. Sounds funny, but when watering, it’s best to get as close to the stem as possible and try not to water the surrounding soil. Watering with a lawn sprinkler can save you time, but it also waters unwanted weeds and can be wasteful.
I garden in raised beds and use a hand cultivator. The cultivator not only removes weeds but it loosens the soil for better airflow to the roots. When loosening the soil, be careful not to go too deep and accidentally damage the roots. It’s best to only loosen the top 2 inches of soil since most roots should be deeper.
There are some products that you can use to help with composting in the garden. Straw, grass clippings, shredded leaves, mulch, and compost are a few examples of safe, inexpensive products. You only need a few inches of compost on top of your garden soil. Applying too much ground cover can be very harmful to the plants. It prevents water and air from penetrating the soil. In place of natural products, you could consider using ground covers made from plastic or recycled materials. Man-made products should be placed before planting your seeds and plants and will need to be removed at the end of the growing season. Chemicals can also be used to control weeds. If you choose to use chemicals, I highly advise that you read the directions carefully. Using chemicals can damage your crops and can add extra steps when harvesting. Be sure to note if there are special washing instructions after harvest.
Happy gardening #70
