A weed weed is any plant that represents a threat or a nuisance. Weeds can grow in lawns, fields, gardens or any outdoor area. They are typically invasive and steal the soil resources and nutrients needed by plants for growth, including water and sunlight. They also retain pathogens that can infect vegetables by transmitting diseases. While there is no way to permanently eliminate them without killing the vegetables in your garden as well, there are many strategies you can use to reduce their growth.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Remove Existing Weeds
Step 1. Cut them with a sharp hoe
A sharp-bladed hoe allows you to cut weeds without having to bend over or squat. Drive the blade into the grass near the base and then let it decay. If your plants have already grown, a weeding hoe may be easier to maneuver without harming useful plants.
If the weeds have pods or clusters of seeds already visible, you can tear them instead of cutting them and throw them in a closed bin or away from your garden
Step 2. Eliminate weeds manually or with a small tool
Tearing them by hand can be a slow process, but it is often the only method necessary when they grow too close to the vegetables, since you would risk breaking them too with the movements of the hoe. In this way, moreover, you can also eliminate the roots of the largest weeds, as well as the most superficial ones, thus preventing them from growing again.
- If you use a tool like a gardening trowel or digging knife (Hori-Hori), you can make this task easier and reduce the strain on your hands. Pruning shears are notoriously poorly ergonomic, and can lead to problems such as arthritis in the long run. When choosing shears, make sure they fit well in your hand and don't require excessive effort to move the blades.
- If the weed grows next to small crops, press your fingers down on both sides of the grass to keep the soil stuck as you tear it.
- Removing weeds is easier if the soil begins to dry out after watering. However, avoid walking on it or pressing it when wet, as this can reduce aeration.
Step 3. Learn about herbicides for post-emergent weeds
These products are specific to kill weeds that have already grown. Any type of herbicide should be used with caution, as it could also kill the plants you wish to grow and potentially even those planted in neighboring gardens. Choose the herbicide suitable for the type of weeds you need to eliminate and check that it has no harmful effects on your specific crops. Use these guidelines to start your search:
- Herbicides containing trifluralin could be used to control grasses, but to this day they are banned in the European Union, albeit a subject of debate.
- Sethoxydim-based herbicides can also be used against grasses.
- Those containing glyphosate, including Roundup, kill many plants, not just weeds, and must only be applied in the garden, if the label expressly indicates the instructions for this.
Method 2 of 3: Keep Weeds in Check
Step 1. Loosen the soil superficially and regularly
Whenever you notice weeds starting to sprout, use a stirrup hoe, subsoiler, or rake to loosen the soil around their roots. By exposing the roots, especially on a hot, dry day, you can cause the weeds to dry out and die. Don't dig deeper than a few inches, though, as you can damage the roots of the vegetables and bring up the weed seeds that have hitherto been buried.
This method is less effective if the weeds have already grown quite a lot
Step 2. Apply organic mulch to reduce weed growth
Mulch is any natural material that covers the soil surface and prevents new weeds from sprouting. Add a 5-10cm layer of dead leaves, seedless straw or grass clippings to act as mulch, but leave a 2.5cm-wide ring of loose soil around each plant you want to grow to allow for air circulation..
- Mulch also helps retain moisture and heat from the soil. If the weather is very humid or hot it may not be recommended.
- Avoid wood shavings, bark shavings or sawdust, as they can cause persistent effects that prevent seed growth. These types of mulch may be suitable if you use them in gardens where there are no vegetables or other annuals. If you decide to use wood products, be sure to check them carefully for the presence of pests or diseases. You must avoid passing them on to your garden.
Step 3. Consider using newspapers as mulch
Black and white newsprint can be a great inexpensive and environmentally friendly mulch for preventing weed growth, but it's only effective under certain conditions. This method is relatively recent and still requires more in-depth study, but it appears that well-draining soil and frequent tillage of the soil surface is required, as described above. Apply a layer of newsprint as you would organic mulch, as explained above.
- Do not use pages that have colored ink, as they can contain toxic substances that can damage the soil and plants.
- In case of wind, keep the newspaper still on the ground with cut grass or other material.
Step 4. Research pre-emergent herbicidal products
Always know in advance about the effects of a herbicide on your specific vegetables and plants before using it, and choose one that can attack the type of weed that is infesting your garden (such as plantain and bindweed). Here is some basic information you can start from, to use pre-emergent herbicides on weeds that have yet to sprout:
- Products that contain DCPA, such as Dacthal, rarely harm most vegetables.
- Corn gluten is sometimes used as an organic solution to control infestations and is applied in gardens with vegetables that have reached a height of 5-7 cm and where weeds have not yet sprouted. It is still not entirely clear how effective it is when compared to other options, but it can also be used as a fertilizer.
Step 5. Use cover crops when it is not the growing season
Rather than leaving the land bare after harvest, plant a cover crop to keep unwanted plants from taking over. For this purpose, sow a sturdy crop that is resistant to the climate of the cold season, such as annual and winter rye or buckwheat. Be prepared to fertilize the soil and harvest this crop if you plan on following this plan.
Try to rotate or combine crops to grow specific vegetables so that, the following year, the soil has the right nutrients to encourage the development of your vegetables
Method 3 of 3: Set up a Vegetable Garden with Few Weeds
Step 1. Create an elevated flowerbed for the vegetable garden
If you are willing to use high quality soil and water often, a raised flowerbed allows you to keep the plants less spaced. This makes it more difficult for weeds to compete for the nutrients of the soil, not to mention that the raised level allows them to be identified more easily.
The plants heat up more quickly when they are on a raised bed. This is an advantage in many climates, but if temperatures tend to be warm in your region, consider digging a flower bed rather than raising it
Step 2. Reduce the distance between the plants
This technique is sometimes described as intensive planting and offers less room for weeds to grow. However, the distance between vegetables is limited by the quality of the soil, the frequency of irrigation and the variety of vegetables. You can often plant them a few inches closer than recommended by the instructions on the seed packet, but it is best to try to plant them slightly closer and closer each year, then returning to distance them, if you notice that the vegetables are not able to grow quickly and in healthy way.
Do some research or inquire at nurseries to find the recommended distances between plants, if you use a raised bed
Step 3. Use plastic mulch for certain crops
Due to the heat trapped in the soil, this method is only recommended for certain vegetables, such as tomato, pepper, eggplant, cucumber, melon or pumpkin. Lay a black plastic coating on the garden ground before sowing, making sure to cut holes at the points where the plants will grow.
- Watch out for particularly aggressive weeds that can continue to grow under plastic or through plant holes.
- Be aware that plastic does not decompose and must be thrown away after the growing season.
Advice
- Avoid inadvertently planting weeds. Buy only a mix of potting soil, soil or mulch that clearly states on the label that it is free of weeds. If not, you could add weeds to the garden while applying the soil or mulch.
- Do not place bird feeders near the vegetable garden. The seeds that fall from the feeder can develop as a weed. Make sure you keep the trays at least 9-10 meters away from your vegetables.
- Do not cut the lawn too short. This allows sunlight to reach the ground further and increases the chance of weed seeds germinating and growing.
- Start clearing weeds in late winter or early spring, before they begin to grow invasively.
- Remove all the weeds before they begin to produce seeds, not only in the vegetable garden, but also in the garden, otherwise with the wind the seeds can spread and infest your entire property.
Warnings
- When pulling weeds with your hands, wear garden gloves to protect yourself from sharp or toxic grasses.
- Use extreme caution when handling herbicides. Wear a face mask and gloves when using them. Read and strictly follow the instructions on the label of all herbicide products.
- Most herbicides, which have been approved for use in gardens and other edible products, expect two weeks to elapse between application and harvest. Don't apply herbicides within two weeks of harvesting your vegetables.
