Weeding is an inevitable part of gardening, but it doesn't have to consume your entire summer. Over the years, we have developed a few tried and true tricks that drastically reduce weed pressure, keeping your beds looking pristine with a fraction of the effort. Here is how we manage weeds in both the vegetable garden and perennial borders.
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In the Vegetable Garden
Vegetable gardens thrive when soil disruption is kept to a minimum, and managing the foot traffic paths between your crops is half the battle.
Take a standard 3-foot-wide woven weed mat, fold or cut it in half lengthwise, and anchor it securely down between your planting rows. This creates a clean, 1.5-foot-wide walking path that completely suppresses weeds where you step.
Keep the edge of the weed mat tucked as close to the base of your vegetable stems as possible.
When a crop finishes and it’s time to replant that row, simply fold the mat back out of the way, prep the soil, plant your new starts, and flip the mat right back into place.
If you prefer not to use metal landscape staples, weighting the edges down with rocks works perfectly and adds a nice, rustic look to the patch.
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In the Perennial Garden
Perennial gardens require a slightly more nuanced approach than vegetable rows, as you are working with permanent root systems and evolving seasonal plants.
The absolute golden rule of weeding is speed. Get the weeds while they are young and small. At this stage, their root systems are not yet established, making them incredibly easy to pull out with a gentle tug.
Instead of waiting for weeds to mature, get into the habit of lightly disturbing the soil surface with your trowel on a regular basis. This quick, shallow cultivation disrupts and destroys tiny weed seedlings before they can take hold. Cultivating introduces air into the soil, which promotes healthy root respiration for your perennials.
If you love the clean, uniform look of mulch, you can double its effectiveness with a simple bio-degradable barrier. Lay down layers of folded, matte (non-glossy) newspaper directly over the soil before spreading your mulch on top. The newspaper creates an impenetrable light barrier that suffocates existing weed seeds, slowly breaking down into rich organic matter over the season.
Perhaps the most effective way to keep weeds down permanently is to leave them no room to grow. Fill empty gaps in your landscape by densely planting annuals or interplanting perennial groundcovers. When desirable plants claim the space and sunlight, weed seeds simply cannot germinate.