If you don’t manage weeds in the vegie patch, they will compete with your produce, stealing nutrients and smothering seedlings. They could even escape to other parts of the garden or bushland. There are a few simple things you can do to keep them under control and give you the confidence to tackle any that slip through the cracks!
There are many species of weeds with many different growth types. The key to managing all of them is to get in early, before the roots are established and before they set seed and spread!
Perennial weeds:
Weeds like Wild Sorrel and Twitch Grass live and reproduce over many years. These two species also spread via rhizomes, so you need to dig deep and carefully to remove all parts of the plant. Anything left behind can turn into a new plant!
Some perennial weeds have very long, strong tap roots, like wild fennel and dock. Try levering these out with a garden fork.
Annual weeds:
Annual weeds like Milk Thistle and Chickweed are often small and go through their life cycle very quickly – but if left to flower, they can produce thousands of seeds per plant and thus never-ending generations of plants. Mulch beds well in the warmer months to smother these weeds and stirrup hoes are useful for those that pop up between rows of vegies.
Silage tarps:
When Hannah prepares new beds, she smothers the soil to kill off both perennial and annual weeds. First, she cuts finished vegies such as broad beans, off at the base rather than pulling them out roots and all. This is to reduce soil disturbance, which weeds love! Next, the soil gets a good feed with compost and a deep soak, before being covered with a silage tarp. This method encourages weeds to germinate but then die off as there is no sunlight. It also activates the soil biology and heats up the weeds which breaks down the weed waste.
Hannah leaves silage tarps on a bed for 6 weeks in warm months and up to 3 months over winter.
Weeding will always be a part of gardening so the best thing to do is match the right tools and tricks to the plant and get in early. It can also be quite therapeutic!
Featured Plants (all weeds):
WILD SORREL – Rumex acetosella
TWITCH GRASS – Elymus repens
MILK THISTLE – Sonchus oleraceus
CHICKWEED – Stellaria media
WILD FENNEL – Foeniculum vulgare
DOCK – Rumex crispus
Filmed on Muwinina Country & Hobart, Tas
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