How do I control annual Weeds?
You'll need only two simple garden tools:
- a garden rake
- a scuffle hoe
Step 1: Pull Soil Away from Ridge With tines (teeth) of the garden rake pointing down, pull away the soil from the 4-inch ridge into the aisles. Caution: Be especially careful—if you have planted seeds—not to disturb the area where you planted them.
Step 2: Pull the Soil Back Now turn right around and pull the soil back and rebuild the ridges.
Step 3: Smother Sprouting Weeds While reshaping the ridges (those with transplanted seedlings), allow a thin film of dirt to slide around the plant stems. This will smother the weed seeds sprouting among the seedlings.
Step 4: Disturb Area between Rows With the rake or scuffle hoe, remove sprouting weeds between the planted rows by disturbing the area between the two rows. Make sure to maintain the flat, level quality of this area (to promote watering).
NOTE: There should be few weeds in the center between the planted rows because the band of fertilizer spread there is strong enough to kill most sprouting weed seeds.
Step 5: Remove Weeds from Aisles Using the rake or scuffle hoe, remove sprouting weeds from the aisles. Shallow tilling with a small garden tiller is also possible.
Even after you have cleared your garden of annual weeds, it is important to continue using good weed prevention practices.
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Tip of the Day
It's Spring Planting Time! For those of you in the Northern hemisphere who have winters, March and early April are the time you need to be preparing your soil and planting the hardy vegetable crops such as radishes, peas, cabbage and broccoli.
The freeze/thaw cycles of winter have broken up and loosened most soils, so as soon as it's not muddy, go in and give everything a good weeding with the 2-way hoe (see Tools). Weeding thoroughly this early gives you the upper hand, and is very important.
If you grew a Mittleider garden last year, your beds will be easy to re-make. Just apply Pre-Plant and Weekly Feed to the bed area, then till them in, place strings on your stakes, and re-make the beds.
Be sure to re-check the level of each bed accurately, since they may have changed a little. Do not be satisfied with anything more than 1" fall in a 30'-long soil-bed. Good Gardening!
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