Got weeds? Join the club. Those little interlopers can overrun your gorgeous potager garden before you know it, let alone get back to those sundrenched Sunday afternoons. Think of this: weeds are kind of like those unwanted party guests pushing out the wanted guests. Chin up! A bit of elbow grease now and you will have the plants living large, the life of the V VIP, with just a few clever moves.
First, let’s talk a little about hand weeding. It is kind of the old-school way-your granny might have sworn by it. Equipped with a reliable trowel and a pair of decent gloves, you are basically pulling weeds out from their roots. You often feel like you’re playing tug-of-war, but there is some satisfaction in that peculiar snap a weed can make when it goes. Yet it’s a question of striking while the iron is hot, or rather, when the soil is wet. Immediately after a rain is the best time to catch those unwanted hangers-on, as the ground is soft and weeds come out with less hassle.
Ever try mulch? It’s like tucking in your plants, and it tells the weeds, “No room at the inn!”.
Mulch blocks sunlight and stifles their ambitions before they ever see the light of day. Organic mulches-straw, wood chips, or even grass clippings-are your friends here. They break down with time, nourishing the soil underneath. And who doesn’t like a win-win?
Of course, a little goes a long way, and you literally only need enough to cover the bare spots.
For gadget enthusiasts, cultivation tools are your best-kept secret in the garden. A hoe is a perfect tool with which to cut those unwanted invaders off at the knees and put your garden in neat array. Wave that magic wand once, and voil ! The weeds just disappear. OK, let’s not get ahead of our skis here: over-hoeing does beat down the structure of your soil, so finding the sweet spot will be important.
And let’s not forget the action of vinegar and salt solution-it would make your weeds some sort of crispy, unwanted fries. Just a small sprinkle of household vinegar onto the leaves of the weed, and for sure it will get them dried out in no time. That is one neat trick indeed, but it does not recognize friend from foe. For this concoction, steer clear of plants that you like! Let’s say you’re more of an all-natural enthusiast-companion planting might be your cup of tea. Simply put, it’s like choosing the right roommates: certain plants ward off weeds and repel pests. Nasturtiums and marigolds, for example, are known to help banish weed woes. It’s an art of balance and synergy that ancient farmers were clued into long ago. Then there is sheet mulching. Similar to lasagna gardening, weeds get smothered to the white flag in one layer on top of the other. You’d start with a biodegradable barrier, say, for example, cardboard, and top this with compost and mulch. Before you know it, the weeds will be history and the condition of your soil top-notch.
Mulching and Ground Covers-the Best Kept Secrets of the Weed-Free Garden
Among all the din of activities that keep the potager garden running successfully, the weeds seem to grow overnight, with an agenda to make your labor look like some disheveled jungle. Trust me, I’ve been there, you’re singing to the birds, beside yourself with tomatoes just peeking through, then you trip over some nuisance dandelion. But here’s the secret handshake required to win this silent war: mulch and ground covers. Well, mulch does not give off the same scent-sational feelings as homemade apple pie, but it is just as crucial in repressing weeds. Even better, it could be argued that the mulch was like a tuck-in-the-bed blanket for your soil since it tucks in the desirable and snuffs out the insurgent sprouts. Think of it more this way: you are not as much dressing up your soil, per se, but building a fortress that really is not all that cozy for your guests.
It’s like trying to tell you another thing: mulch is not created equal, either. And the choices are dancing in front of you like some car lot of infinite options. You’re looking for that earthy smell, a hint of nostalgia? Opt for organic mulch like from the bark and straw, which in due time gives that splash of nutrients back into the soil. Probably you are among those who love the effect of always green from gravels or black plastic and you take delight in using hard nut barrier.
Well, this is inorganic mulch coming in for the watches anytime. But all isn’t right with this twisting path through the landscape of magical mulch. And one can little imagine that such fascinating curiosity exists once somebody spreads hay and invites problems galore-sprouting seeds and weeds. That indeed is just what is meant by setting the fox to mind the henhouse! Be wise and choose those options which will not become Trojan horses in their own turn.
Ah, ground covers-a canvas of tales to be told on resolute versus pretty: a low elevation plant, so to say, just popped right out from the go-to fantastical dream of some charmer-practical yet charming. These are such kinds of friends for whom one would never beg for more than a glass or two of water once in a while.
Periwinkle and creeping thyme are faithful, unbending sentinels, arrayed in straight line, as a general thing, when happy, and repelling marauders of the garden.
Of course, the weedy overgrowth covers that hug every nook and cranny crowd out weeds because of the dauntless spread. Ah, yes-o-oregano! Flavorful, indeed-not only in spaghetti sauces! Smooth as James Bond in the garden, versatile, and pretty much everywhere weeds wish they could get, is what he is-nothing short of. Plants like this are allies one wants by their side in the battles when temperatures either turn up or tuck under a blanket of frost. That weed won’t even know what hit ’em! Sit down for lavender tea with more seasoned gardeners, and they’re regaling tales of how one lemon balm plant became a green, rejuvenating carpet throughout summer. Before long, your garden is some sort of mosaic of living, growing pieces, all interlocking like some inspired jigsaw-weeds are always on the losing team. Perhaps you’ve chuckled at the notion of talking to your plants.
