Master Gardener Spotlight Stories

Pest of the Month - Weeds be gone!

Weeds be gone! 

Are you tired of weeding your garden? I’ll bet! Here are some facts and tips to simplify.

Fact: Every square inch of your soil probably contains weed seeds just waiting to germinate if proper conditions arise. Rain is certainly one of those conditions. Disturbing the soil by tilling or planting is another.

• Tip: Hand weed just after rain. Weeds come out more easily when soil is wet.
• Tip: When planting disturb the soil only where the plant will go. (Depth of plant and twice the width.)
• Tip: Use emitters to position irrigation right to the plant so you are not watering bare ground.
• Tip: Plant ground covers to reduce sun exposure to bare ground. Weeds like photosynthesis conditions just like your plants. Water, sun, oxygen.
• Tip: Space plants close together, but not so much that mold might occur when at their peak.
• Tip: Compost and mulch. Compost enriches your plants. A healthy layer of 2-3 inches of mulch preserves moisture and inhibits weeds.
• Tip: Weed whack your unplanted natural areas before seeds are formed. This also eliminates an ignition source for fire.

What weed is this? Click here. Weed Identification