How to keep on top of weeds?

[Newbiegrower1970]

I sowed seeds on the allotment but by the time the seedlings are identifiable the bed is overgrown with weeds. How can I get round this, if I hoe earlier I'll hoe the seedslings too.

[Cadalot]

I start off what I can (beetroots, carrots, spring onions, Brassicas) in vending machine cups and then transplant them when they are large enough to see what it is or put a small bamboo or marker of some kind either end of the line you have just sown

[Snadger]

There's a name for it but can't remember what. Basically, prepare your planting area, wait for weeds to germinate and hoe seedlings off, then do the same again for second flush of weeds, then sow you seeds!

[Guest]

cover with card or newspaper and station sow

[veggiechicken]

Sow in rows, mark the rows and hoe between them - or start seeds in a seedbed/tray/pot/vending machine cup and plant them out as seedlings.

[Jimmy]

Things like carrots etc I draw a deep drill and fill with good compost. Then sow on that.
Keeps weeds at bay for a while longer.
Jimmy

[lottie dolly]

it also depends on what you sowing,for fine seeds mark each end of the row and run string along the top a few inch obove the ground,you can hoe between,and hand weed the row when your upcoming crop is recognised,another way is put some off cuts of drain pipe just into the soil to create a bottomles pot,and station sow,remove the pipes carefully when plant is strong,this year i just scooped out a shallow,bunged in parsnip seeds,forgot about them,i found them in amongst the weeds,as i weeded i thined them out,to my supprise they are as good a plants as the self seeded ones.

[Birdie Wife]

There's a name for it but can't remember what. Basically, prepare your planting area, wait for weeds to germinate and hoe seedlings off, then do the same again for second flush of weeds, then sow you seeds!

Yes, what's what I do. There are still a few little stragglers that come up but I hand-weed what I can't get with the hoe.
Also, once you've done this, avoid digging over the soil again, because you'll bring more weed seeds to the surface.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Paraffin flame gun along the row. Give it a good roast and then allow to cool before sowing. If you have space, allow 18" between rows. That will allow you to hoe in between and rake any weeds off without damaging the veg.

[Jungle Jane]

I just pull any weeds out with as much root as possible when I see them,if they're near where Ive just sowed (keep an eye on the area) the weeds start off small so easy to pull out with no soil disturbance. If I'm not sure if it's a weed or what Ive sowed,I do nothing until I know,leaf shape helps you identify.

[Jay-ell]

Look over the bed and pay attention to how the seedlings look. If there's a particular seedling all over the bed and you've sowed a number of different crops in rows then those bed wide seedlings will be weeds so focus on pulling them.

Once the first lot is done you might start noticing the seedlings in rows - although some weeds will have germinated in the disturbed soil off the drills.

Look over the entire bed again and pull the next lot of bed wide seedlings, and so on.

Having reference pictures of your crops seedlings helps - some seed packets have photos of them or Google them.

If in doubt leave them till they've grown a bit.

You'll soon get to recognise the weed seedlings as well as those of your crops.

[BUFFS]

There's a name for it but can't remember what. Basically, prepare your planting area, wait weeds to germinate and hoe seedlings off, then do the same again for second flush of weeds, then sow you seeds!

Yes, they call this tedious..

[Penellype]

A month or so before you sow in the spring, cover the bed with clear polythene (or with a cloche). This will create a warmer environment and speed up weed germination. Hand pull the weeds that appear, noting what the seedlings look like. Learn your weeds. The longer you can leave the cover in place (weeding regularly) the fewer seeds will be left behind. Do not disturb the soil if you can help it.

When sowing time comes (best to grow in pots and plant out where you can, but some veg, particularly carrots, need sowing direct), make a line of compost as suggested in a previous post and sow into that. Mulch between the rows to stifle weed growth (but don't cover the rows of seeds) and religiously remove any weed seedlings. Never let a weed run to seed. Cloches or net covers will help keep out seeds that may blow in from elsewhere as well as keeping down pests.

You will never get rid of all the weeds. Every time you disturb the soil seeds will be brought to the surface and some can survive for 10 years or more. But you can reduce the weeding enormously using this method. Mulching with black plastic or cardboard will suppress the weeds, but you may still find that when you uncover the soil and sow into it the dormant weed seeds will germinate.