Easier way to weed the garden?

[tillerkiller]

I would like to find an easier way to weed the garden. I am familiar with a hoe (too familiar) and I want something that breaks up weeds easier. I have seen $300 mini-tillers, but I am thinking along the lines of something that is way less money. Any ideas?

 

[hudlow]

Mulch?

hud

 

[tillerkiller]

Mulch is on the short list.

It's just that I need to get things under control first.

Hmmm... maybe I could just throw down some mulch and see what I got, but what a mess if the weeds started poking through.

How much mulch do I need to kill off established weeds?

 

[crbr]

Mulch is on the short list.

It's just that I need to get things under control first.

Hmmm... maybe I could just throw down some mulch and see what I got, but what a mess if the weeds started poking through.

How much mulch do I need to kill off established weeds?

Weeds will grow right through mulch.

 

[RickO]

I'm guessing it is planted... if not round-up before you work it up. Wait 10 days after spraying for a good kill and don't cut the weeds after you spray them. Let them grow with the round up on. This will give your garden a good head start on the weeds but you will still have to weed.

IF it is planted already, a cheap front tine tiller or I have seen a old guy use grass clippings to help ****** the weeds growth. Then you till them into the soil the next year. I've seen this work. They have to be put on pretty thick.

... or get your hoe out and sharpen that puppy up.

 

[RickO]

Mulch is on the short list.

It's just that I need to get things under control first.

Hmmm... maybe I could just throw down some mulch and see what I got, but what a mess if the weeds started poking through.

How much mulch do I need to kill off established weeds?

Last year I did get lazy and try to round-up my already growing garden. I covered my mellons and maters with a trash bag. Since Round-up is a contact type herbicide you can get away with this if you cover up your "good" plants while spraying. It may prove to be more work than just hoeing them out.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

The thing with weeds is don't let them get ahead of you. You almost have to weed every other day. If your garden is already started and you don't want to use round-up try household vinegar it will kill most weeds and not harm the soil.

I have used a hoe a lot too. One type I use, and I can't think of what it is called, but it looks like a thin piece of metal bent in a "U type" shape and the bottom would be flat and sharp. You can push and pull it thru the soil to cut the weeds off a couple of inches below the ground. It is faster and easier than a regular hoe. Once the weeds are cut down you can use mulch or newspaper to lay in the rows. If you use the newspapers you may need to put a lthin layer of mulch on top to hold it down.

I have used grass clipings but you need to let them turn a little brown if you are going to put them around the plants. If they are green they will produce to much heat and could kill the plants. Green clippings are good to use between the rows since the heat generated will help kill some of the weed-seeds before they start to grow.

Or you can get the $300.00 tiller

 

[Cliff_Johns]

You could also have some kids, but they usually end up costing more than $300.

They are also slow to start and use a great deal of fuel.

Cliff

 

[Shimon]

I bought some rolls of thick black plastic sheeting and put it down on top of weeds and weight it down and in a couple of weeks everything is dead. Works good for large areas if you're not in a rush. May be a little harder if you are trying to kill weeds around plants you want to keep alive but it can be done.

 

[Big Al]

You could also have some kids, but they usually end up costing more than $300.

They are also slow to start and use a great deal of fuel.

Cliff

Speaking as one of those types of weeders, I can attest that the weeder grows up to hate gardening.

;D