Hi eileen,
Your question is very broad, you should have specified your question either it be weed control for vegetables or flower garden, or landscape.
However, to satisfy your question let me answer you specifically. If you're into vegetable or flower garden try to follow the guidelines below...
Weed Control for vegetables and Flowers
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 retiling 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 polyethylene sheet stretched tightly in place for 4-6 weeks during the peak sunlight of early summer. (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.
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.
Happy gardening!
Cris
Send inquiries or suggestion at: cris@crisramasasa.com
www.crisramasasa.com
