Getting Rid of Weeds Organically

It’s that time of year where the weeds seem to be sprouting as quickly as the blossoms in our gardens. Maintaining a garden organically is not difficult to do if you follow these tips.

1. Buy healthy plants and make sure they are planted in crumbly, rich soil. If these plants stay healthy and grow quickly, this will be your greatest deterrent to weed growth.

2. When planting, use some type of organic weed barrier. Black plastic mulch, three or four pieces of newspaper piled on top of each other and wetted down and even some old carpeting, can all help suppress weeds.

3. Maintain a regular schedule of weeding. The weeds are much easier to control if you keep on top of it. And remember to weed prior to the plant going to seed.

4. When weeding, use a hoe or some efficient weeding device that is able to pull up the entire weed, roots and all.

5. There are now organic based weed killers in the marketplace. Several of them are made with vinegar. If using them, be careful to only spray onto the weeds. Otherwise, they will kill your plants right along with your weeds. A new product on the market manufactured by Organica called Plant Nutrition Tabs, contains both beneficial soil microorganisms and corn gluten. The literature says to insert a tab in flower beds every 4-6 weeks every two square feet to help control weeds.

6. Finally, mulch, mulch, mulch…but not too early in the season. And do...