Thank you for subscribing to 'easy vegetable gardening'.

This free e-zine will provide you with regular information (monthly, or when there is something of value) to help you grow vegetables more easily, plus a monthly tip/ learning from my experience, the new pages added to the website and an insight into my own vegetable garden.

If you like this e-zine, please do a friend and me a favour and "pass it on."

If a friend forwarded you this e-zine and if you like what you read then please subscribe by following this link. Thank you.

Vegetable garden weed control to stop those smothering weeds

In this edition please find an article on weed control together with a time saving topical tip, 2 new web pages with book recommendations and this month's update on my vegetable garden. For a bonus, see a couple of articles on making compost and vegetable garden soil.

Weeds are the bug-bear of most gardeners, but even more so to the vegetable gardener. When nothing else grows you can be assured the weeds do and when everything grows you are certain the weeds will be there too and smothering your precious vegetables. Does it seem that what-ever you try the weeds are always one step ahead of you? - well help is at hand.

Understanding is essential to counter the threat, understand your enemy and turn them into your friend as you grow your vegetables. Yes weeds can be useful - as a mulch/ organic matter!

• most weeds are annuals and produce seed in huge numbers each year and there is a large seed bank in the soil
• many weeds are perennial; with either a deep tap root or deep root system that means they grow from year to year
• some weeds seed well and are perennials and make up our most troublesome challenge
• so it is imperative to prioritise weeding
• weeds, like all plants need water and light to grow and this is where you can turn the tables; shade them out and deprive them of water
• defeat them with stale seedbeds - give weeds their own seedbed, encourage them to grow only to kill them before you plant
• you must at all costs weed well enough to prevent fresh weed seeds being shed

For detailed information on vegetable garden weed control and to sign up for my up-coming e-book follow the link above.

Bonus articles: As an Expert Author for Ezine Articles I publish roughly monthly on a broad range of vegetable gardening topics. Click the graphic to see the current articles there on making compost and soil preparation.

Use the 'little and often approach for weeding'; when-ever you are on your vegetable garden look out for weeds - don't leave them to grow - pull them/ hoe them/ just kill them. Not only does this stop weeding becoming a chore but it prevents seeding and minimises future problems. Remember to keep paths clean too. Your plot will be clean in less time.

• allotment book - suggested reading for the budding allotmenteer
• rose gardening books - great books on another favourite form of gardening - the great English rose gardens, perfume and colour
• look out for more information on weed control

What a great time early summer is; the majority of the planting is done, the soil has dried out a bit so there are fewer weeds, vegetable plants are growing fast and there is more to eat.

The strawberries have been fabulous this year - and we already have our first raspberries - yes, I know they are not vegetables - but who can resist their succulent charm!

Finally the gale force winds have subsided and the sun come out - glorious!

We are eating 4 different types of lettuce, beetroot and beans, artichoke and 1st early potatoes - yummee!

Weed control is up to date - the 'little and often approach' really works. Neighbours keep saying 'it looks so neat - how do you do it when we don't see you much? (no I'm not there in the night!)

I am planting a series of lettuce, beetroot, carrots, peas, courgettes and beans to bring us vegetables over many months and avoid wastage of excess.

The leeks have been transplanted and have established well. The Brassicae (red cabbage, curly kale, calabrese broccoli and purple sprouting brocoli) are growing well and will soon be big enough for transplanting into the right beds.

A second row of peas, Mangetout this time, have been transplanted taking care not to disturb their roots. They look great at 20cm high already!

The climbing beans are growing well skywards. Three different plantings this year should avoid a glut and provide beans for many months into autumn - frost permitting.

My next project - a proper greenhouse - but more on this next time.

Best wishes and happy vegetable gardening.

Colin (easy-vegetable-gardening.com)