weeds in garden

[rcrcomputing]

I read about big gardens and think to myself, how in the world do you keep it weeded. My garden is not huge, but is nice. So, how bout some hints on keeping it weeded?

 

[Birdman]

Hoe Hoe Hoe and no I am not Santa. No spray for me just get all I can and don't sweat the rest of them. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Freds]

This was being discussed when I was asking about planting corn. It seems some people that have walk behind tillers run those between the rows and others have cultivator attachments that can be set so they don't rip up what you're trying to grow. You drive the tractor over your rows and the cultivator rips up the weeds, but you can only do this until the corn gets so high. By then it is established and will help block sunlight from helping the weeds along, so you may be OK not to weed after that point.
At least that's what I gathered. Once I start my garden I may try to take some tines out of my landscape rake and see if that works similar.

 

[PineRidge]

Cultivate around the plants using one of the small tillers. (Mantis)

Plant you veggies on 3' centers and run a Troy Built tiller between the rows.

When it comes to sweet corn once it reaches 6" sow some clover between the corn plants. It will add nitrogen to the ground which the corn can use while maturing and it will form a thick carpet that will make weeds harder to compete.

Or let your neighbor grow the veggies and then wait until he has gone to bed for the night to do your shopping. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[bdog]

If you are not growing Corn - Treflan. It is a preemergent herbiceide often used on commercial vegetable operations. It must be incorporated into the soil. Till the garden, spray it with treflan, then lightly till again. My garden is 40x15, and I have not had a single weed yet.

 

[thingy]

If your going to raise a garden big enough to be called a garden,,,you got to get a walk behind tiller,,can't do without it,,,or a mule and cultivator,,,,,some of those bigger commercial type gardens,do alot of raised beds,,covered in somekind of plastic,,with irragation water lines,underneath,,and they have all the equipment to make that doable,,,or,,they just grow alot,,and get most of it,,a few weeds don't hurt a thing,,thing is,,you got to keep the weeds down untill plants get ahead of weeds,,after your plants get up there some,,some weeds won't hurt much,,this time of year I don't want any weeds,,but come about the 1st part of july or so,,let em grow...thingy

 

[fractal]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I read about big gardens and think to myself, how in the world do you keep it weeded. My garden is not huge, but is nice. So, how bout some hints on keeping it weeded? )</font>
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Lay down plastic and punch holes through it for the seeds.

Lay down mulch as the plants grow.

Weed daily. Those hula-hoes work great when the ground is kept soft and moist.

or do like I do and forget about it until they are so high that you can't water. I had a crew of 4 pulling weeds for 8 hours out of a third of an acre avocado orchard. They pulled 2500 pounds of weeds according to the scale at the transfer station.

 

[Egon]

Do a lot of thinking about easy speedy mechanical methods.

Then get down on your hands and knees and get to work!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Egon

 

[HRS]

First, you have to get the mental part right. You are gardening because you like playing in the soil. Only garden a plot that you can comfortably work. If you turn it into a job, you just messed up.

Second, it's your garden. leave all the chemicals possible alone. If you want to eat stuff laced with all types of poisons, just go down to the local grocery.

Thirdly, have a tiller handy. They are excellent for the middles. And as far as the centers are concerned, pull weeds once the ground is moist, after a rain or watering. They come up very easily then. I've also found that if you let the weeds go ahead and grow about 3 inches tall, it makes pulling them much easier. After your plants get their heads well above the weeds, don't worry about them so much.

Finally, use weeper hoses. This waters your desired plants and lets the unwanted weeds just on the outside of the centers bake in the scorching summer heat. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Have fun. There's work to be done.

 

[AutoUnionTypeC]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Second, it's your garden. leave all the chemicals possible alone. If you want to eat stuff laced with all types of poisons, just go down to the local grocery. )</font>

I agree with that sentiment. I think you’ve gotten good advice already the only item I might add is a stirrup hoe like this one.
Invaluable.