It’s that time of year where the weeds seem to be sprouting as quickly as the blossoms in our gardens. Maintaining a garden organically is not difficult to do if you follow these tips.
2. When planting, use some type of organic weed barrier. Black plastic mulch, three or four pieces of newspaper piled on top of each other and wetted down and even some old carpeting, can all help suppress weeds.
3. Maintain a regular schedule of weeding. The weeds are much easier to control if you keep on top of it. And remember to weed prior to the plant going to seed.
4. When weeding, use a hoe or some efficient weeding device that is able to pull up the entire weed, roots and all.
5. There are now organic based weed killers in the marketplace. Several of them are made with vinegar. If using them, be careful to only spray onto the weeds. Otherwise, they will kill your plants right along with your weeds. A new product on the market manufactured by Organica called Plant Nutrition Tabs, contains both beneficial soil microorganisms and corn gluten. The literature says to insert a tab in flower beds every 4-6 weeks every two square feet to help control weeds.
6. Finally, mulch, mulch, mulch…but not too early in the season. And don’t mulch too thickly — two to three inches maximum.
The Healthy House Institute (HHI), a for-profit educational LLC, provides the information on HealthyHouseInstitute.com as a free service to the public. The intent is to disseminate accurate, verified and science-based information on creating healthy home environments.
While an effort is made to ensure the quality of the content and credibility of sources listed on this site, HHI provides no warranty - expressed or implied - and assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product or process disclosed on or in conjunction with the site. The views and opinions of the authors or originators expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of HHI: its principals, executives, Board members, advisors or affiliates.
