THE DIRT CHEAP GARDENER
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Weed Control
Weed Control
Prevention
Prevention is your best defense against weeds. It is much cheaper and easier to prevent weeds than to kill them after they appear.
Planning
When planning your garden, eliminate weeds in the growing area prior to planting. Be sure to remove the entire plant as well as the seeds.
Soil Solarization
This is a very effective means of preventing weed growth without chemicals. Soil solarization involves removing all plants and weeds and retilling the soil. After the soil has been moistened, cleared and raked to remove any roots, rocks, and sharp objects, it is covered with a clear plastic sheet stretched tightly in place for 6 to 8 weeks during the hottest part of the year. (You can use rocks or cinderblocks to hold the plastic in place.) The sun will cook the soil killing any unsprouted seeds or remaining weeds.
Corn Gluten
While not exactly the dirt cheap alternative, according to a recent study at the University of Iowa, applying corn gluten to your garden or lawn in the spring or fall will effectively suppress germination of a variety of weeds. It will not kill existing weeds, but could be an effective strategy in natural long term weed suppression.
Mulching
Mulching helps to suppress weed growth by blocking sunlight to the soil preventing germination.
Biodynamic Gardening
Biodynamic or French Intensive Gardening is generally grown in raised beds. The soil is double dug to a depth of two feet which allows plants to more easily send their roots deeper down to access water and nutrients. The plants are planted so that the foliage of each adult plant will touch the foliage of another plant. This creates a leafy cover known as a living mulch. This will minimize weed growth as well as stabilizing soil temperature and moisture retention by the soil. You also get a higher yield from a smaller space by planting closer together.
Natural Herbicides
Vinegar
Spray on full strength to kill weeds.
You can use it between bricks or paver stones to kill weeds and grass.
Salt
Salt will also kill grass and weeds between bricks and will deter regrowth.
