 | Weeds are just another part of the natural world. But they can be a menace to the vegetable gardener. There are many ways to control weeds ranging from chemical applications to natural means. Here are five natural weed control methods to apply to your vegetable gardening.
- Landscape Fabric
Landscape fabric can be found in home and garden stores and can generally be found in main mass supermarkets as well. This usually thin black cloth is used on the ground much like a mulch. It prevents weeds and other unwanted growth around the plants that you want.
It generally is biodegradable and will eventually disintegrate. But it can last for quite a long time. It can easily be cut into the size needed with scissors and water easily slips through the permeable material.
- Newspaper
Do you have lots of newspaper but generally just throw it away or give it to the local recycling bins? Keep it and use it in the garden as a mulch and weed barrier.
Newspaper eventually breaks down when it becomes wet and is given to the elements such as wind and sun. But until it breaks down, it can stop unwanted weed growth.
It can be adapted for container gardens relatively easy and is great for a recycling project for kids.
- Mulch
Wood chips or mulch can be used to prevent weed growth. A generally thick layer of wood chips is added in spaces where plants aren’t being grown to prevent weeds from springing up.
There are many types of mulch to choose from ranging from cedar chips which last the longest and give a wonderful smell to the cheaper pine and cypress mulches which are most times just as effective. Asking a salesperson at the home and garden store or your local horticulture place is a good bet to find the best mulch for your situation.
- Green Mulch
Also called living mulch, this is simply growing a cover crop such as alfalfa or clover in between rows or in empty spots to prevent unwanted weed growth. Most of these cover crops grow fast much like weeds and give no room for the weeds to take over.
A similar method, called, companion planting is much like green mulch. Planting other vegetables such as lettuce and vining plants that can run along empty rows is companion planting and it can help with moisture retention and weed growth.
- Container Gardening
This method of gardening helps in reduction of weed growth because the plants are confined to a container away from the natural ground. Weed control is much better due to this separation.
Container gardening is much more controlled. You choose the plants that are growing and you generally choose a soil that is weed free.
Choosing the Best Method
Choosing the best method of weed control is not always easy. There are many conditions and situations where one method might not be preferable or even possible. A combination of the above methods is probably best however. Sometimes it only takes a few tries to find the best method. Sometimes it can take several seasons to get it on the right track. Keep trying though. It may take time but it is worth the result of a weed-free gardening experience.
|  |
|
