Vegetable Gardening Weed Control

Weeds do more than just affect the appearance of your vegetable garden. They also rob your vegetables of water and soil nutrients that they desperately need. They often attract insects and other pests that can destroy your plants as well. They will also soak up some of the sunlight if they are allowed to grow too big.

You will never completely eliminate weeds, but you can control them by using some of the tips below.

Weed control should begin before you even plant your seeds. You can get a head start on this through proper soil preparation. Many weeds won’t have the chance to get started if you interrupt the growth process by tilling the soil.

Placing weed control fabric over the soil can keep the remaining weed seeds from growing. This will prevent them from receiving the light and heat that they need. The fabric can also physically hold some of the weeds down. There are also natural covers that will perform the same task, such as mulch, manure, bark chips, sawdust and leaves.

Treating the soil with a pre-germinating herbicide can also prevent the existing seeds from getting started. Research the different kinds that are available so that you don’t use one that will be harmful to your vegetables.

The types of plants that you plant can also affect weed growth. Some vegetables grow fast and produce shade with their large leaves, thus robbing weeds of the sunlight needed to grow. These are commonly referred to as smother crops. Their roots will also spread out and take up space that would normally be occupied by weed roots. If done properly, these types of plants will naturally aid you in preventing weed growth. They can also help reduce weed growth over the winter, making it easier for you in the spring.

Try to remove any weeds that do show up as soon as possible. It’s sometimes hard to pull small weeds, but if you let them get to big, their roots will spread farther making them harder to remove.

Weeds are actually similar to a tree on it’s side, rather than a regular plant. The weeds we see above the ground are sort of like the branches of that tree. The web of roots underground that connects the weeds is the trunk of the tree. Although, removing one weed will help stop their spreading, basically all you’re doing is removing one branch from that tree.

This is where tools like hoes and weeding forks come in handy.

In the likely event that these other methods do not rid you of all your weeds, you can always resort to using a chemical herbicide. Make sure you use one that is safe for your vegetables. Over the past 50 years or so, chemical herbicides have evolved to the point that many of them are safer for you and your plants than some of the more common natural methods.