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Vegetable garden weed control (Issue 8 - 1st May 2010)

Weeds can really get you down. You have cleared the ground of weeds, dug and prepared the soil and may have planted some of the ground already - but then you see weeds emerging everywhere.

These weeds may be deep rooted perennials re-emerging or, a carpet of seedlings coming from seed - either way it can be a depressing sight - so what can you do?

• firstly if you are getting perennial weeds like couch grass, dandelion, docks, thistles etc emerging then your original site preparation was not thorough enough. Target these weeds after harvest by either carefully digging them out, being careful to leave no root fragments, or spot spray the growth with glyphosate to control the weeds. This may need repeating until none remain.


• add a mulch or compost/ bark chippings/ straw around individual vegetable plants of curcurbits, brassicas, tomatoes etc. to suppress seedling emergence.


• plant through a sheet of weed membrane which also helps retain moisture and warm the soil.


• water carefully only where and when really needed: down the row, just around the plant - avoid use of hose pipes and watering the whole plot or else weeds will emerge quicker than ever.


• be vigilant and hoe weeds as there emergence and check regularly that no weeds are allowed to seed.


• finally, build weed management in to your planning; fine seedbeds may be good for vegetable seed emergence, but they are even better for weed control. Instead, leave your seedbeds coarser either transplanting the majority of plants, or just providing a covering of fine soil down the seed row to aid seed emergence.

Find more detail on easier weed control and decide what suits you. Do what I do and make weed control one of the basic needs of good vegetable gardening - plan for success.

• water spraringly, only when really necessary, to ensure plants establish and you get good yields. Water the row/ plants not the soil in between. This ensures good growth and saves water and effort.
• visit your plot every 2-3 days at a minimum to keep an eye on; the need for watering, pest influx, disease development, weed growth and of course for vegetables that need harvesting.
• correct problems as they develop and ideally with experience plan ahead to avoid them.

I have been busy writing the soil e-book this month as well as improving the look and feel of the site.

The contents of my e-book on soil preparation will include the following information which I hope will both answer your many questions and provide good soil from which you can grow great vegetables;

• all about soils - an introduction to soils
• quick start soil preparation techniques
• how to prepare a new vegetable garden
• how to prepare soil in raised beds
• soil additives and their use
• how to improve different soil types
• organic matter choice and nutrient contents of manures and compost
• composting tecniques
• soil preparation for particular crops
• the ideal seedbed for plant growth
• the ideal soil for vegetables
• soil problems by soil type and how to solve them
• choice of cultivation technique; pro's and con's and best practice
• depth of seedbed required for different crops
• how to loosen sub-soil
• nutrient deficiencies and their causes
• mulching techniques
• soil testing
• soil examination
• soil types and their characteristics
• soil pH, testing and importance
• garden worms and how to encourage them
• and much much more...

To sign up and show your interest in the soil e-book "The secrets to good soil preparation and care for productive cropping", go to the form at the bottom of the web page.

After much effort and continued good weather I am almost up to date once more after the long cold snowy winter.

I have planted my 1st and 2nd early potatoes as well as main crop ahead of rains this weekend.

Early carrots are emerging and are protected from carrot root fly by a plastic barrier.

Shallots and onions are establishing in soil enriched with compost.

Seeds of cucumbers, courgettes, butternut squash, melons, curcurbits, tomatoes, climbing beans, sugar snap peas, peppers and celeriac have been sown, but I will wait a while longer for brassicae as early planting seed to bolt and go to seed.

We are enjoying eating asparagus every 2-3 days, purple sprouting broccoli, parsnips and leeks as well as Lollo rosso lettuce grown in a cold frame over the winter.

Weeds are under control unlike many of my neighbours who are burdened with a carpet of new seedlings due to watering fine seedbeds.

Thank you.

Best wishes and happy vegetable gardening

Colin (easy-vegetable-gardening.com)