GYO editorial assistant with a growing question for you to answer!

[Rose C]

Hello growers! I'm back on the forum again with another question that I'd love for you all to answer - what is your weeding regime and technique to keep weeds under control during the summer months? As ever, we like to include your answers in the magazine, so a few will be featured in our allotment inspiration page. Thank you all in advance Rose

[Muddy_Boots]

Hi Rose

I've had a particularly testing time this year having 3 allotments with the weather being wet then very warm and dry then wet again as the annual weeds have gone ballistic. On parts of the plots that were cleared its fork out the Mares Tail and perennial weeds then either plentiful use of the hoe to damage the weed roots so they die or when possible use a cultivator to really chew them into submission. Leaving them mixed in with the soil provides a ready made mix of green manure for whats to be planted later.

Where plants are established then the hoe is the only solution so long as your planting has allowed spaces between the rows for the hoe to be used easily without damaging your plants, the key is when planting seeds or pre-germinated plants is to ensure at least a hoes width between each row for easier weed management.

[fluffybunnyuk]

No weeding. Grow plants where you want, provide space for weeds to attract insects. Voila one healthy garden. Weeds are just as important for the garden as plants.
Alot of gardens are deserts devoid of life, trimmed to within an inch of their life, and when you look closely completely devoid of insect life. Often problems like slugs , or aphids indicate an imbalance in the environment.
Listen to the garden, it talks to you. Tells you what it needs, and what it has.

[Logunner]

Hoe, hoe, hoe.

But if it’s an abandoned plot/area it gets a chemical attack in the first instance.

[Greenleaves]

As my grandad used to say, “if you hoe when you don’t see a weed, you will never see a weed.

[veggiechicken]

As my grandad used to say, “if you when you don’t see a weed, you will never see a weed.

GL, I think you've missed out the crucial word.............or your Grandad did.

[the big lebowski]

hi rose , i dont have a weeding regime ,i just weed whenever i go to my plot (their the fastest growing things up there ) i do like to dig my beds over at the end of the growing year and pick out any weed roots or bind weed apart from that i just hoe alot , my onion hoe is prob my fav tool ,hope this helps ,cheers

[Snadger]

I find the weeds grow faster after rain. This is when I head out with the hoe when the soil is moist and it can be quite therapeutic hoeing the weeds. They are left on the surface for a couple of days to shrivel up then raked off. It's at this time I can see any that I have missed, and they get the chop also.

[Greenleaves]

GL, I think you've missed out the crucial word.............or your Grandad did.

Thanks VC...with typos like that I could get a job on the magazine

[Jay-ell]

Mulch. Mulch. Mulch.

I mulch most of the beds with grass clippings which reduces the amount of weeds quite considerably, I only have to weed each bed once a month or so.

Outside of the beds is a different matter, there I need a machete, some bearers and a couple of guys to keep their eyes out for tigers.