How to Keep Weeds Out of Your Vegetable Garden
Cut with a sharp hoe., Remove weeds by hand or small tool., Learn about post-emergent herbicides.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Cut with a sharp hoe.
A sharpened hoe blade allows you to sever the weeds without having to bend over or crouch.
Swing the blade against the weed near the base, then leave the weed to decompose.If vegetables are already growing, a thin-bladed "onion hoe" may be easiest to maneuver without damaging the useful plants.If the weed already has visible seed pods or seed heads, pull these off before you cut, and discard them in a trash can covered or far away from your garden.
A stirrup hoe helps take weeds out easily.
It has blades that run parallel to the ground, making it easy to go along and cut weeds down. -
Step 2: Remove weeds by hand or small tool.
Hand-pulling weeds can be a slow process, but is often necessary when weeds sprout too close to vegetables to risk swinging a hoe.
This also allows you to remove the roots of large weeds as well as the surface plant, preventing the same weed from growing again.
Using a tool such as a gardening trowel or Hori-Hori knife may make this task easier and reduce strain on your hands.
Pruning shears are notoriously un-ergonomic, which can causes problems such as arthritis.
When choosing pruners, make sure that they fit your hand well and don't require excessive push to move the blades.
For weeds growing next to small crops, press your fingers down on either side of the weed to keep soil in place while pulling.Removing weeds is easier while the soil is beginning to dry out from a watering.
However, avoid walking on or pressing wet soil, which can reduce aeration., Post-emergent herbicides are designed to kill weeds that have already grown.
Any type of herbicide should be used cautiously, as they have the potential to kill desirable plants as well, potentially even ones planted in neighboring gardens.
Match your herbicide to your type of weed, and check that it does not have any harmful effects on your specific vegetable crops.Use these guidelines to begin your research:
Herbicides containing trifluralin can be used to control grass weeds, but these are banned in the European Union.
Herbicides with sethoxidym, including Poast, can also be used to control grass weeds.Herbicides containing glyphosate, including Roundup, kill many plants, weeds and otherwise, and should only be used in a vegetable garden if the label specifically provides instructions for it. -
Step 3: Learn about post-emergent herbicides.
Detailed Guide
A sharpened hoe blade allows you to sever the weeds without having to bend over or crouch.
Swing the blade against the weed near the base, then leave the weed to decompose.If vegetables are already growing, a thin-bladed "onion hoe" may be easiest to maneuver without damaging the useful plants.If the weed already has visible seed pods or seed heads, pull these off before you cut, and discard them in a trash can covered or far away from your garden.
A stirrup hoe helps take weeds out easily.
It has blades that run parallel to the ground, making it easy to go along and cut weeds down.
Hand-pulling weeds can be a slow process, but is often necessary when weeds sprout too close to vegetables to risk swinging a hoe.
This also allows you to remove the roots of large weeds as well as the surface plant, preventing the same weed from growing again.
Using a tool such as a gardening trowel or Hori-Hori knife may make this task easier and reduce strain on your hands.
Pruning shears are notoriously un-ergonomic, which can causes problems such as arthritis.
When choosing pruners, make sure that they fit your hand well and don't require excessive push to move the blades.
For weeds growing next to small crops, press your fingers down on either side of the weed to keep soil in place while pulling.Removing weeds is easier while the soil is beginning to dry out from a watering.
However, avoid walking on or pressing wet soil, which can reduce aeration., Post-emergent herbicides are designed to kill weeds that have already grown.
Any type of herbicide should be used cautiously, as they have the potential to kill desirable plants as well, potentially even ones planted in neighboring gardens.
Match your herbicide to your type of weed, and check that it does not have any harmful effects on your specific vegetable crops.Use these guidelines to begin your research:
Herbicides containing trifluralin can be used to control grass weeds, but these are banned in the European Union.
Herbicides with sethoxidym, including Poast, can also be used to control grass weeds.Herbicides containing glyphosate, including Roundup, kill many plants, weeds and otherwise, and should only be used in a vegetable garden if the label specifically provides instructions for it.
About the Author
Isabella Thompson
Committed to making organization accessible and understandable for everyone.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: