Say Goodbye to WICKED WEEDS
Weeds are an inevitable thorn in every gardener’s side. While some weeds offer benefits, such as the edible greens of young dandelions and the nutritious roots of burdock, many quickly become a frustrating, ongoing struggle if you don’t spot them early. Weeds can steal water, sunlight, and soil nutrients from food crops, and some even release toxic chemicals into the soil that inhibit the growth of other plants.
Tools, Mulches & Herbicides
The best tools for keeping ahead of weeds include several types of hoes, a good garden fork, a garden knife, a dandelion puller (or an old screwdriver or butcher knife), and a high-quality pair of gloves. Mulch and organic herbicides can also help.
The best mulches include paper or newspaper, black plastic, straw or hay, shredded wood or bark, grass clippings, living mulch, and clear plastic. It should be noted that clear plastic will only work to kill weeds if it’s used in summer and pulled tightly over soil, creating a hot environment weeds can’t tolerate — a technique known as solarization.
A successful mulch strategy is to use newspapers and/or cardboard under a thick layer of organic mulch, such as grass clippings, shredded leaves, straw or hay, or a combination of these. (Wet your newspapers so they don’t fly around as you try to lay them down.) Do a couple of good hand-weeding sessions early in the growing season before laying down mulch,
