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We could devote an entire web site to weeds. There is the problem of identification, eradication and disposal.
Lets start with something that many people forget, you can prevent them naturally. All plants need some light so if can stop light from getting at the weed seeds in your garden then they will have a hard time germinating.
According to the Organic Gardening web site, “Organic mulches—straw, grass clippings, leaves, shreddedbark—nourish the soil as they decompose. They are fairly effective weed barriers. For even better weed protection, use several sheets of newspaper, kraft paper (the paper used to make grocery bags) or cardboard under these mulches. In a 1992-93 study at the University of Vermont, a 6-inch layer of shredded newspaper applied at the beginning of one season allowed no more than 8 weeds per square yard to sprout for two summers. Without renewing the mulch layer, the newspaper controlled weeds for two seasons. Kraft paper and cardboard allow even less light to reach weeds and are even more impenetrable.”
This is important to keep in mind when building your garden or opening it up in the spring. Even in the summer when plants thrive it’s not a bad idea to put down some organic mulch. My favorite benefit is the fact that they add to the soil’s nutrients over time.
Annual Weeds
These are the weeds that only live for one season. The problem is they go to seed in the fall and the seeds wait until spring and then germinate again. The good news is that most of these plants are fairly easy to either pull out or using a hoe till. Once the weeds are out of the ground they will die. Use a hoe that oscillates as it will turn up the earth more efficiently.
Perennial Weeds
Unlike their annual cousins these weeds come back year after year in the same spot. Like any perennial they will not go away until you kill them or pull them out and move them.
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