What are your recommendations for getting rid of weeds and grass that’s grown over a garden plot? I recently purchased a house that came with a fenced in, on the ground, garden but it’s gotten a bit overgrown.
Cleaning up the weeds with some good ol’ elbow grease has been working so far, but I want to make sure that the weeds don’t grow back, at least to a meaningfully bad degree. I also don’t know if this is the best, or even a good method since I’m new to gardening.
I was thinking of putting down some rolls of paper where I don’t want any plants but there are so many options and I don’t know which to go with. Advice on that route would be appreciated as well.
Thank you in advance.
Edit: I just saw a different post here about starting a garden plot from grass which sounds relevant to my issue. I’m leaning towards fallowing the plot and tarping it this growing season and trying again next cycle.
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The cardboard method is great. But I think it needs to be said that any tape or plastic material should be removed before using. If you have a box where the tape and cardboard have become one, don’t use it.
Put down some cardboard to block the light. Keep it damp and after the cardboard starts breaking down, add more if needed, or just add soil on top. You should try to have raised gardens regardless. Whether framed or mounded beds.
Removing as much by hand and mowing the rest first will probably help too.
What’s the advantage that raised gardens have if you don’t mind me asking?
If you live in a moraine like we do it saves you days and days of not picking rocks and boulders out of the ground every time you put a spade in.
… Til it’s not just a word. There’s an absolutely picturesque lake near me that’s called Moraine Lake, and it’s named because of what it is. Love it.
They warm up faster, it provides growing areas where you won’t trample and pack the dirt down (make them 3’ wide so you can work the entire plot), doesn’t retain water leading to overwatering issues, there’s a few others that I can’t recall off the top of my head right now too. Some other people will chime up or I’ll come back. I should refresh myself from my book I guess -.- haha.
Edit, crop rotation is another big one!
Easy to keep weeds and plant competition out. Can fill with top grade garden soil and compost. Keep the plants that need more water and the plants that need less together so less issue. Here’s my
Some plants are going direct in the soil cause they do fine. Putting in more blueberries and a cherry tree this year. Also I just plant strawberries everywhere. They spread and do well so I have them growing all over the yard.Keeps pests like rabbits out and makes it easier to make deterrents for other critters too.
Love the layout growmie. You just use twine for your tomato’s or do you add some mesh?
I use 2x2 to make a frame and then drape chicken wire over it. Staple the ends to the planter box and weave the tomatoes up one end and over. both sides would fruit constantly.
As suggested below cardboard to block out any ground that you are not using. This cardboard is usually done after the season is done (in the fall) and covered with leaf litter and then soil in the spring. This pushes the cardboard down where it will act as a weed block as it starts decomposing. Most “weed seeds” only sprout when exposed to sunlight and air and are air driven. So this cardboard will block the seeds where they are.
Since its spring I would recommend putting down seeding straw instead of cardboard (but you can do both) around your plants. The straw will slow any new windblown seeds from falling and will cover any of your bare ground so the light doesn’t activate any new seeds. Moreover, the straw should hold moisture for the rest of your plants and should start decomposing over the season. Also I think the straw looks better than cardboard throughout the season. With the straw you can start composting in place by placing any garden scraps under the straw where it will start breaking down out of sight.
