One single weed can produce 250,000 seeds. Even though some are only viable for one year others lie dormant waiting decades to grow into a plant themselves!
In all of the years I have been gardening, there is one thing that always seem to show up no matter how careful or diligent you are- weeds! It only takes a single weed seed stuck in your clothes or shoes to introduce weeds all over again.
Do you find yourself struggling to keep up with the weeds? If so, then these tips are sure going help out this season!
Know Your Enemy
I’ve seen miner’s lettuce, chickweed and purslane growing all over the place. The problem with these weeds is that they are shallow-rooted annuals! Other weeds including dock, comfrey and thistles are deep-rooted perennials.
These 2 types require different methods for control so arm yourself with a guide that will help you identify your individual plants’ weaknesses before they take over!
Assault Annual Weeds When It’s Dry
The perfect weather for an attack is when it is dry and hot outside!
Give Perennial Weeds A Shower
Pests love to live in your garden. But, if you wait until the soil is wet (either by rainfall or making a fake one at home) and then dig up these pesky weeds – they won’t come back!
Comb The Grass Right Out Of Your Beds
If you want to keep your garden free from pesky grasses, use a pitchfork before planting in spring. Work the soil until it’s loose enough for planting and then stab at any roots that may be buried below with the tines of this tool so they come up easily when weeding or cultivating afterwards.
Become A Mulching Maniac
Don’t give weeds the light they want. Just cover your bare soil with a layer of grass clippings, shredded leaves or pine needles to keep them at bay! Weeds will die and ANY survivors are so weak you can easily remove them by hand – no more pesky weeds for you!
Cook Them
If your weed problem is a big one, bake the plants beneath clear plastic. Before you cover soil, wet it in order to achieve better results with this technique. Leave these covered up 3 weeks when outside weather is warm and sunny.
Let Lettuce Help Your Peas
Why not establish an edible, living mulch to fight the weeds and provide extra early-season crop? Sow seeds of a fast growing leaf lettuce thickly between young pea plants. The leaves will outperform their green counterparts while you pick your peas for harvesting!
Squash Pigweed
If you’re experiencing a pugnacious of pigwheat, plant a combination from squash and buckwheat to easily overtake these weeds. Harvest the summer crops when they are ripe for harvest by pulling out the vines or cutting them down if necessary, and turn under the buckwheat.
Berry Your Weeds
The strawberries are taking over! These plants spread by runners and have a vigorous growth so they will easily overpower many weeds. In Zones 9, the berry should grow longer than one year; it could even take up ground cover beneath blueberries or roses for you to enjoy them all summer long.
Till Them Two Times
Tilling your beds early in the season will help weed seeds germinate and come to fruition. Till a second time, weeks after planting veggies for extra-deep cultivation which clears ground from any young weeds before you plant again!