Getting rid of weeds!

[Laura Hillier]

Hi Everyone,

As the evenings are getting lighter and the sun has made its tentative appearance for a couple of afternoons in a row (let's not speak too soon!) thoughts turn to the garden and everything in it springing back into life. Unfortunately 'everything' means that we will all once again be commencing the battle on weeds. So we were wondering, what are your favoured methods of weed control? Do you have any speedy and effective tips for ridding your plot of stubborn varieties?

Answers may be edited and published in the June issue of Grow Your Own


Laura

[VirginVegGrower]

Owing to The Grapevine and it's array of wondrous, organic experts plus a bit of Charles Dowding thrown in (when will he appear on the vine as an expert btw?) I no longer fret and dig up. We have raised beds and after two years of mulch laying we have very few weeds. We also rest our beds with green manure sowing, which gets hoed off right about now and mulch laid on top.we are fortunate to have access to free muck and generate a fair amount of our own compost. Odd perennials get forked out - mainly dandelions - and fed to our chooks as a hanging green peck at swing.
It works and we are the first ones to have our plot ready this year. A few of the others have been asking us what we are doing. I think there might be a few more mulchers/green manurers soon!

[veggiechicken]

I hoe the tops off weeds and dig out deep rooted ones. Also try to nip off any flowers before they set seed as a preventive measure. It may be hard work but I refuse to take the easyfix of using a weedkiller.
We have all seen the damage that these can do to bees and other wildlife and I care too much for Planet Earth to have that on my conscience.

[Verinda]

I have raised borders too and find they are wonderfully easy to keep under control, I just pull out the weeds every so often. I don't use chemicals of any kind.

[wizzbang]

I pull them out by hand. I break up the soil with my hoe or trowel then get on hands and knees and take them out, then I send them off to the recycling wheelybin. I don't put them on the compost. I know that might be considered wasteful but I don't want any nasty seeds lurking in my compost.
If I find a whopper of a weed I take great pleasure in digging the thing out. I was quite ill once and wasn't able to get into the garden, a very impressive 6 foot tall Doc grew just to spite me. When I got better I had loads of fun and worked off loads of energy digging the monster out, it's root was immense. I actually enjoyed watching it grow but blimy what an ugly plant it was.
I think my new projects problem will be Red Dead Nettle. I have seen it, doing its thing all over the place. I think im going to be expending loads of energy bending and kneeling getting rid of them. At least they don't have deep roots. Problem with Dead Nettle is that they seem to flower all through winter and summer so its a must to watch out for seeds.
Wish me luck!
Lynne x

[Two_Sheds]

what are your favoured methods of weed control?

No such thing as weeds ~they're green manures in my garden.

Mostly I chop them up, and leave them on the soil as a mulch. One Straw Revolution.


Sorry, that attitude doesn't sell much product

[zazen999]

Dig out perennials and hoe the annuals. Use all diggings or trimmings as a mulch.

Simples.

[Bigmallly]

For the first time, this year all of my raised beds are covered in newspaper & well rotted chippings, at least the weeds will be able to have a good read while fighting there way through........

[binley100]

Hoe. dig out perennials if possible, green manure and mulch ......... The area that has the horsetil problem is currently buried underneath newspaper, a thick layer of leaves, a thick layer of straw and llama poop and then topped off with cardboard. Hoping to smother the chuffin' stuff.

[Linzy]

i use a comination of things. Dig an turn over the soil pulling out any roots i find ( put in a bucket and turned into liquid feed), regular hoeing when the weather is good and mulching (particulary pernennials)

[Aberdeenplotter]

I'm not a non dig believer. There, that's that out in the open. My plots get dug top to bottom every year. Pernicious perennials are dug out and on to my burning heap. Annuals get skimmed off and pushed into the bottom of the trenches as I dig. Thereafter, it's a combination of hand weeding and hoeing. As I have three half plots, I sow at a minimum of 18" between rows so I can hoe and rake off weeds without damaging my crops and I hand weed to finish off. My hoe has a 6" blade and is made of old sheffield steel so after a dress up with a file in springtime, it cuts through the weed very easily. The modern stainless steel hoes are soft and easily blunted so are best avoided. Pathways get the occasional blast with my parafin flame gun and that works really well especially in the dry weather.

[kathycam]

I dig out roots and pull out smaller weeds. Drown/burn anything that might grow if put straight in the compost. Lay down a mulch to smoother new weeds from growing.

[Mahsleb]

A friendly allotment neighbour lent me what he called a Front Hoe, it worked wonders on our sandy soil, a single pass between rows neatly chopped the weeds just below the surface
It was just an oblong metal sleeve attached behind a wheel to two handles, apparently there is another attachment which can be fitted if a deeper cut is needed
It seemed such a simple and effective tool, I would love to buy one but can't seem to find one on the internet, can anyone help?

[hellybore]

I dig / pull weeds out manually, and compost the annual ones. I want to try growing a living mulch around some of my friut and veg to prevent the weed seeds germinating, so have ordered white clover and birdsfoot trefoil seeds. If it works I will post some pictures!

[Veggielot]

Probably not the most efficient but I do quite enjoy hand weeding.