How to Prevent Weeds in a Garden

Every gardener's dream is of a lush green garden free of pesky weeds that threaten the health of vegetables and flowers. Maintaining a garden free of weeds takes a little work, but the effort is certainly worth it. There are two basic ways to rid your garden of weeds and keep it that way. One is tilling and hoeing the soil regularly and the other is by using mulch. Follow these steps to maintain a weed free garden this year.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mulch materials (grass clipping, hay, plastic)
• Rototiller or hand cultivator
• Hoe

Mulching

1. Use mulch as a protective barrier to prevent weeds from growing between the rows of your garden or even around individual plants. Mulch will actually serve double duty to retain moisture as well.

2. Save grass clippings from mowing your lawn and cover areas where you want to get rid of weeds with two to three inches of grass clippings. If you do not have enough clippings, check with your neighbors. They will be glad to get rid of the clippings from their lawn.

3. Use plain hay to mulch your garden. Simply purchase a few bales of hay and layer it two to three inches thick between rows or around plants. Hay will decompose and add organic matter to your soil, too.

4. Use black plastic under heat loving plants like tomatoes and peppers. This will create an effective barrier. Any weeds will be choked out and die beneath the plastic. Plastic sheeting can be removed and reused for several years.

5. Purchase mulch at your local hardware store. Bark mulch looks great around those prize plants. Using bark between permanent rows in your garden can add visual appeal, as well. Remember that if you intend to till the soil again next year that you may have to remove the bark as it is unlikely it will break down enough to work into the soil. Hay and grass clippings can be tilled into the soil at he end of the season or next spring adding valuable organic matter to your soil.

Cultivating the Soil

6. Use your muscle. The traditional method of preventing weeds is to do it the old fashioned way with a hoe and lots of elbow grease. Use the hoe to cut weeds that grow around your plants. This will need to be done weekly and in times of rapid growth it may need to be done more often. Be careful not to damage roots.

7. Hand till. A hand tiller can be invaluable in maintaining your garden. These are designed to be used in narrow spaces and keep the soil loose as well as weed free. Generally, you will want to hand till between rows and around plants on a weekly basis.

8. Rototill. If your rows are wide enough to accommodate a rototiller, periodic tilling between rows will greatly cut down on the amount of weeds that grow in your garden.

Tips & Warnings

• Using organic matter, like grass clippings and hay, not only prevents weeds and preserves water, it will be a great addition of organic matter to your soil when you till it in at the end of the season!