How to Have a Weed-Free Garden
This is an excerpt from "(Nearly) Weedless Gardening is Possible" which appeared in April 6's Courier Post. Article by Lee Reich of the Associated Press.
1. Stop tilling or turning over the ground.
Tilling stirs up those weed seeds that are dormant and waiting to be rejuvenated by exposure to light and air. Enrich the soil from the top, spreading fertilizer and compost right on the surface.
2. Spread a thin layer of mulch to smother weed seeds that get dropped by birds or wind.
3. Avoid compacting the soil by walking on it, rolling a wheelbarrow on it, etc. Again, you want to avoid having to till the soil to aerate it, thus stirring up weed seeds. Lay out permanent areas in the garden for walkways using wood chips or gravel.
4. Install drip irrigation. This allows you to focus water on the plants you want (not the weeds), as well as avoid wasting water by spreading it on pathways and other non-garden areas.
5. Lastly, yank out those weeds that inevitably do pop up, root and all. Following the above should keep these to a minimum.
Note from Ken: I haven't tried this yet - but it's worth a try!
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