Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Removing existing weeds
• Part 2 of 3: Weed Control
• Part 3 of 3: Preventing Weeds in the Garden
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Weeds are any plants that pose a threat or inconvenience. Weeds grow on lawns, fields, gardens, and any other outdoor soil. Invasive, weeds take away from vegetable plants the resources they need to grow, including nutrients, water, and sunlight. Weeds also carry pathogens that can infect a garden with crop diseases. While it is not possible to permanently eradicate weeds without killing all the vegetables, there are ways to keep weed growth to a minimum.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Removing existing weeds

1. 1 Cut off weeds with a sharp hoe. The sharpened blade of the hoe allows you to cut weeds without having to bend over or crouch. Use a hoe to cut the weeds at the base and then let them rot. If the vegetables have already grown, then take a chopper with a thin blade, it is easier to maneuver, and you will not harm the beneficial plants.
   • If the weed already has pods or seed caps visible, you should pick them off and discard them in a covered trash can or away from your garden before trimming the weed.
   • A looped hoe will help remove weeds faster. Its blade runs parallel to the ground, making it easier to advance and cut the weeds.
2. 2 Remove weeds by hand or with a small tool. Hand weeding will take you a lot of time, but it is often indispensable. Especially if the weeds are sprouting too close to the vegetables and you don't want to risk swinging your hoe. This will also allow you to remove the roots of large weeds as well as the grown plant without letting the weed grow again.
   • A garden shovel or a Japanese garden knife can simplify the task and reduce the strain on the hands. The use of pruning shears is not known to be ergonomic and can lead to arthritis. When choosing a pruner, make sure it fits well in your hand and does not require excessive force to move the blades.
   • If the weed grows near small crops, press your fingers on either side of the weed to keep the soil in place as you pull it out.
   • It is easier to remove weeds when the soil begins to dry out after watering. However, you should not walk or press on wet soil as this can reduce aeration.
3. 3 Learn about postemergence herbicides. Postemergence herbicides are designed to kill weeds that have already grown. Any type of herbicide should be used with caution, as they can kill not only beneficial plants, but also those planted in neighboring gardens. Match the herbicide to your type of weed and make sure it doesn't have any harmful effects on your particular crop. Be guided by the following rules when selecting a herbicide:
   • Herbicides containing trifluralin can be used to control weeds, but they are banned in the European Union.
   • Herbicides containing sethoxydim, including Poast, can also be used to control weeds.
   • Herbicides containing glyphosate, including Roundup, kill many plants, weeds and more. Only use it in your garden if the instructions on the label tell you to.

Part 2 of 3: Weed Control

1. 1 Till the soil shallow and regularly. If you notice weeds are emerging, use a planer cutter, garden tiller, or rake to loosen the soil around their roots. Exposed roots, especially on a dry hot day, will dry out and kill the weeds. It is not recommended to cultivate the soil more than a few centimeters, as this can damage the roots of vegetables and bring buried weed seeds to the surface.
   • If the weeds are overgrowing, this method will not be as effective.
2. 2 Apply a layer of organic mulch to reduce weed growth. Mulch refers to any material that covers the surface of the soil to block the emergence of new plants. Add a 5-10 cm layer of fallen leaves, straw, or cut grass as mulch, but leave 2.5 cm blank areas around each beneficial plant to allow air circulation.
   • Mulch also helps keep soil moisture and warmth. This method is not suitable for high humidity or heat conditions.
   • Do not add wood chips, bark or sawdust, as these can have long-term effects that inhibit seed growth. This type of mulch is suitable for use in an area of ​​the garden where there are no vegetables or other annuals. If you are using wood, be sure to check it for parasites and diseases. You don't want them to end up in your garden.
3. 3 Consider using newspapers as mulch. Black and white newspaper can be used as an inexpensive and environmentally friendly mulch to prevent weed growth, but it is only effective under certain conditions. This method is relatively recent and requires further study and requires a well-drained soil and frequent soil cultivation, as described above. Use this type of mulch in the same way as organic.
   • Do not use pages with colored ink. They may contain toxic materials that can harm soil and vegetables.
   • In windy conditions, press down on newspaper pages with grass clippings or something else.
4. 4 Find out all about pre-emergence herbicides. Before applying any herbicides, always study their effect on specific vegetables and nearby plants, and choose the one that suits your type of weed (for example, for grass or broadleaf weeds). Here's some information to get you started. It concerns the use of pre-emergence herbicides before weed germination:
   • Chlorthal dimethyl herbicides like Dacthal do not harm most vegetables.
   • Corn gluten meal, which is sometimes used as an organic weed killer, is applied in a garden with vegetables 5-7.5 cm tall and weed-free. It is unclear how effective this option is compared to others, but at least flour can also serve as a fertilizer.
5. 5 Planting cover crops outside the growing season. To avoid leaving your garden empty after harvest, plant back crops to prevent unwanted plants from growing out of control. For this purpose, you can plant a hardy fall / winter crop like annual rye, buckwheat, or winter rye. Be prepared to fertilize and reap this crop if you choose to follow this plan.
   • The dense cover this crop creates will keep weeds from growing in your garden. When you cut the canopy, the cut plants can be left in the garden as compost.
   • Review crop rotation information or crop mix recommendations for specific vegetables to ensure your soil has the right nutrients for the next year to stimulate vegetable growth.

Part 3 of 3: Preventing Weeds in the Garden

1. 1 Build a compact vegetable garden. If you're willing to use high-quality soil and water your plants frequently, a compact garden will allow you to plant vegetables closer together. This reduces the likelihood of weeds, and the raised level makes it easier to spot.
   • Plants heat up much faster in a raised bed. This is considered an advantage in many climates, but if you have a very hot climate for vegetables, consider growing your vegetable garden below ground level.
2. 2 Plant the plants closer together. When planted intensively, vegetables are placed next to each other, which gives the weeds less room to grow. However, plant spacing is limited by soil quality, watering frequency and vegetation diversity. Basically, you can plant the vegetables a few centimeters closer than the seed bag advises, but it is better to reduce the distance a little each year, changing practice if the vegetable's growth rate and health deteriorates.
   • Find out the recommended spacing for a particular vegetable when planting in a compact garden.
3. 3 Use plastic mulch for specific crops. Due to the trapped heat in the soil, this method is only recommended for certain vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, melons, or squash. Place a cover of black plastic on the soil in your vegetable garden prior to planting. Cut holes in the plastic for the plants.
   • Watch out for aggressive weeds that may continue to grow under plastic or through vegetable plant openings.
   • Plastic will not rot, so throw it away after the growing season.

Tips

• Avoid inadvertently planting weeds. Packages containing potting soil, topsoil and mulch must be labeled as “weed-free”. Otherwise, when you scatter soil or mulch around your garden, you can add weeds to it.
• Remove all weeds in your vegetable garden and in your garden before seeds appear on them. The wind can carry weed seeds from your garden to your vegetable garden.
• Do not place bird feeders near your vegetable garden. A weed can grow from a grain that has fallen from the feeder. Place bird feeders at least 9-14 meters from your vegetable garden.
• Start removing weeds in late winter or early spring, before aggressive growth begins.
• Don't cut the grass too short. This will expose the soil to more sunlight, leading to germination and growth of weed seeds.

Warnings

• When pulling weeds by hand, remember to wear protective gloves to protect against pungent and toxic weed varieties.
• Be extremely careful when working with herbicides. Wear a face shield and gloves when handling herbicides. Read and adhere to the warning labels on all herbicides.
• Most herbicides that are approved for use next to vegetables and other foods must be applied two weeks before harvest. Do not use herbicides earlier than this.

What do you need

• Hoe
• Garden tillers
• Japanese garden knife
• Small garden shovel
• Garden shovel
• Gardening Gloves
• Black plastic mulch
• Black and white newspaper
• Organic mulch
• Herbicides