Weeds are any plant that is a threat or a nuisance. Weeds can grow in lawns, fields, gardens or open areas. Weeds are generally invasive, robbing vegetable crops of the resources they need to grow, including nutrients, water, and sunlight. Weeds are also hosts for pathogens that can infect gardens with vegetative diseases. While there is no permanent way to get rid of weeds without killing your vegetables, there are many strategies you can use to minimize weed growth.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Remove Existing Weeds
Step 1. Remove with a sharp hoe
The sharp blades of the hoe can help you kill weeds without bending or crouching. Swing the hoe at the base of the weed, then allow the weed to rot or break down. If the vegetables have already sprouted, using a thin onion hoe is the easiest way to remove weeds without damaging the useful plants.
If the weed has seeds or seed pods or seed heads, remove them before you cut the weeds, and throw them in a closed trash can or away from your garden
Step 2. Remove the weeds by hand or a small tool
Pulling weeds by hand can be a slow process, but it is often necessary when the weeds start to grow too close to the vegetables, and it is risky to swing the hoe. This gives you the opportunity to remove any large weed roots, and weed surfaces, thereby preventing the same weeds from growing back.
- Using a tool such as a garden shovel or Hori-hori garden knife can make this job easier and reduce the strain on your hands. Pruning shears are notoriously non-ergonomic, and can cause problems such as arthritis. When choosing a trimmer, make sure it fits snugly in your hand and doesn't require excessive pressure when moving the blade.
- For weeds growing near small vegetable crops, press your fingers on both sides of the weed to keep the soil in place when the weeds are removed.
- It is easier to remove weeds when the soil begins to dry out after watering. However, avoid walking on wet soil or pressing it, as this can reduce aeration.
Step 3. Learn about post-emergence herbicides. Post-growing herbicides are designed to kill weeds that have already grown. Herbicides of any kind should be used with caution, as they also have the potential to kill the desired crop, and even potentially kill plants grown in neighboring gardens. Look for a herbicide that is suitable for your weed type, and make sure it doesn't contain substances that specifically harm your vegetable crops. Use the following guidelines to start your research:
- Herbicides containing trifularin can be used to control weeds, but these herbicides are banned in the European Union.
- Herbicides containing sethoxidym, including the brand Poast, can also be used to control lawn weeds.
- Herbicides containing glyphosate, including the brand Roundup, kill many plants, weeds, and other crops, and should be used only in vegetable gardens, if the label specifically provides such instructions.
Method 2 of 3: Controlling Weeds
Step 1. Till the soil by loosening it regularly
Whenever you see weeds starting to appear, use a tool such as a stirrup hoe, garden tiller or rake to loosen the soil around the weed roots. Exposing the roots, especially on a hot, dry day can cause the weeds to dry out and die. It is not recommended to till the soil by hoeing it to a depth of more than 5 centimeters, because it can damage the roots of vegetables and cause weeds to be buried above the soil surface.
This method will be less effective, if the weeds are allowed to grow thicker
Step 2. Use organic mulch to reduce weed growth
Mulch is material that covers the surface of the soil, which helps prevent the emergence of new plants. Add a 5–10 cm layer of dead leaves, seedless straw, or grass clippings that act as mulch, but leave about 2 inches (5 cm) of bare soil around each tree as desired for air circulation.
- Mulch also helps retain heat and moisture in the soil. Mulch may be inappropriate in very hot and wet conditions.
- Avoid wood chips, bark chips, or sawdust as they have a prolonged effect that inhibits seed growth. This type of mulch may be appropriate in parts of your garden that are devoid of vegetables or perennials. If you use wood, then make sure you check it for parasites and diseases. You certainly don't want to bring these two problems into your garden.
Step 3. Consider using newspaper as mulch
Black and white newspaper can be used as an inexpensive and eco-friendly mulch to prevent weed growth, but newspaper mulch is only effective under certain conditions. This relatively new practice requires further research, but appears to require well-drained soil, and regular tillage as described above. Use the newspaper as you would organic mulch, as described above.
- Do not use colored newspaper pages, as they may contain toxic materials that can harm the soil and your vegetable crops.
- In windy conditions, weight your newspaper with grass clippings and other materials.
Step 4. Research alternatives to post-growth herbicides
Always research the effect of herbicides on your vegetables in particular and nearby plants before using them, and choose one that is specific to your type of weed (eg grass, or broadleaf weed). Here's some information to get you started, relating to post-emergence herbicides used before weeds grow very quickly:
- Products containing DCPA (Dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate), such as Dacthal, rarely harm most vegetable crops.
- Corn gluten meal is sometimes used as an organic weed control in vegetable gardens that are 5-7.5 cm high, and weed-free. How effective this flour is is not clear compared to other alternatives, but it can also double as fertilizer.
Step 5. Use cover crops outside the growing season
Instead of leaving your garden empty after the harvest season, plant cover crops to prevent unwanted plants from growing wild. Plant hardy winter/fall crops, such as annual ryegrass, buckwheat, or winter rye or a winter rye specially grown for this purpose. Be prepared to fertilize and harvest these plants if you continue with this plan.
Look for a suggested crop rotation or combination of crops according to your vegetables, so that your soil next year will have the right nutrients to encourage vegetable growth
Method 3 of 3: Starting a Garden with Few Weeds
Step 1. Create a garden with a raised garden bed.). If you're ready to use high-quality soil and water frequently, walls allow you to keep your vegetables closer together. Walls make it harder for weeds to compete and elevated ground levels also make weeds easier to spot.
Plants warm up faster on the wall. This is an advantage in many climatic conditions, but if the climate is hot for your vegetables, on the other hand, consider digging in lower beds
Step 2. Reduce plant spacing
Sometimes referred to as intensive cultivation, growing vegetables closer together leaves less room for weeds to grow. However, spacing is limited by the quality of your soil, frequency of watering, and variety of vegetables. You can often plant vegetables a few centimeters closer than the seed packet suggests, but the best way to try is to plant them slightly closer each year, and do the opposite if they fail to grow faster and healthier.
Try to find the recommended spacing of vegetables, if you are using walls
Step 3. Use plastic mulch for certain types of vegetable crops
Due to the heat trapped in the soil, this method is only recommended for certain vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, melons or squash. Place a black plastic cover over the soil in your vegetable garden before planting. Make several holes for the vegetable plants to grow through the plastic holes.
- Watch for aggressive weeds that may continue to grow under the plastic or through holes for vegetables.
- Plastic will not rot, and should be discarded after the growing season.
Tips
- Avoid planting weeds accidentally. Purchase pots of compost, topsoil or flower soil (topsoil) or mulch that has a "weed-free" label. Otherwise, you may be bringing weeds into your vegetable garden when adding compost on top of your soil or mulch.
- Do not place bird feeders near your vegetable garden. Grain that falls from bird feeders can grow into weeds. Keep bird feeders at least 9.14 meters from your vegetable garden.
- Don't cut your grass too short, as this will allow more sunlight to hit the soil and increase the chances of weed seeds germinating and growing.
- Start clearing your weeds in late winter or early spring before they start growing fast.
- Remove all weeds before they go to seed, not only in your vegetable garden, but in your yard as well. The wind can blow weed seeds from the yard into your vegetable garden.
Warning
- When pulling weeds by hand, wear garden gloves to protect your hands from sharp or poisonous weeds.
- Be careful when using herbicides. Use a mask and protective gloves when using herbicides. Read and pay attention to the warning labels on all herbicide products.
- Most herbicides permitted for use around vegetables and other edible plants require a 2-week gap between spraying and harvesting. Do not apply herbicides within two weeks of harvest.
