Only Growing Weeds? Not With Our Gardening Tips

Do you have a garden that is chock full of unsightly weeds? If so, you should know that you are not alone. Weeds infiltrate gardens of all varieties. Those who are proactive and take preventative measures will eventually enjoy a green space that is unencumbered by those little green devils. Let’s take a look at some gardening tips that will help you keep your garden as weed-free as possible.

Only dig When Necessary.

Weed seeds rise to the surface as you dig and cultivate. The little known truth is that every garden is full of weed seeds below the surface. Only those that reach the top couple of inches of soil receive the light that is necessary to germinate. So only open up a patch of ground when it is absolutely necessary. Be sure to salve any disturbed areas with a plant or mulch.

Don’t Over Hoe Your Garden’s Rows

Hoeing your garden should not take hours. Use your hoe to loosen the surface soil along the plant bases and roots. Take care to avoid hoeing beyond a depth of 3” to 5”. Avoid hoeing spaces outside of your plants’ bases/roots. Excess hoeing will result in the same problems presented by tilling as it moves weed seeds right back into the ground.

Mulch is Your Garden’s Friend

Weeds will only pop up if they receive sunlight. Apply mulch to your garden in the form of wood chips, straw, pine needles and beyond to keep those weed seeds well below the surface. Mulch also helps plants as it keeps the soil moist and cool. Do not hesitate to buy organic mulches that host carabid beetles and/or crickets. These insects will actually pinpoint and consume thousands of weed seeds scattered around your garden. Be sure to replenish your garden’s mulch on a regular basis so that it remains at least two inches deep.

The Gaps in Between Plants Really do Matter

Plant experts who dole out gardening tips to prevent weed growth tend to harp on the importance of spacing. It is prudent to position plants close to one another. Close placement actually chokes out burgeoning weeds as the plant growth shades spaces where weeds tend to grow. So don’t scatter plants around your garden in a haphazard manner. Such widely scattered plants will have ample space to grow yet they will also create numerous weed-friendly gaps.

Mind Your Garden’s Soil

Your choice of garden soil will prove to be critically important in your fight against weeds. Rely on organic matter to enrich your soil and prevent the growth of weeds. Soil containing high-quality compost and/or organic matter really does combat the germination of weed seeds. Soil experts aren’t
exactly sure why this is the case. Their best guess is that healthy, well-fed soil somehow lets weeds know that they have no job to perform so they are much less likely to sprout.

Water Your Garden’s Plants, not its Weeds

Take advantage of soaker or drip hoses to prevent the watering of your garden’s weeds. Place these hoses below the mulch to irrigate your beloved plants and deny weeds from getting a drink. Removing the water source will decrease weed-seed germination by upwards of 70 percent.

Attack Weed Heads

Weed seeds are are hard to remove as they are quite diminutive and positioned at varying depths below the soil. Don’t attempt to uncover all of those seeds. Instead, focus on chopping off the heads of weeds that have already grown. Cutting off their top portions will decrease the odds of re-seeding. Lopping off their heads also limits their ability to spread as they are forced to use what is left of their food reserves and root buds.

Source
http://www.finegardening.com/six-tips-effective-weed-control