NATURAL WEED CONTROL

Perhaps the greatest challenge in organic gardening is weed control.  The traditional method has been hand cultivation.  There are safe, effective methods which can reduce the time spent on hand cultivation:

• SOIL PASTEURIZATION.  A very effective weed control method is to pasteurize the soil every 2-3 years using solarization.  Fertile weed seeds that have been in the soil for years are destroyed.  Solarization eradicates weeds by killing the seed, rootstock, and rhizomes.  The weeds are totally destroyed and will not reappear until the wind or birds carry in new seed.  See Soil Preparation for complete information.

• EARLY SPRING TILLING.  Another effective way of controlling weeds is to till the soil multiple times in the early spring before planting time arrives.  When the weeds start sprouting, hand cultivate with a rake or hoe every week for 3-6 weeks to destroy all of the newly sprouted weeds.  This technique will destroy a lot of the weed seed in the soil, thereby producing a smaller weed crop.  When using this technique, crops are planted later.

• MULCH.  Mulching with compost or shredded vegetation is another effective means of weed control.  Heavy mulch lowers the soil temperature so that some weed seeds do not germinate.  Those that do germinate have a very difficult time making it up through the mulch and most do not make it at all.  Mulching has the added benefit of retaining moisture in the soil and slowly releasing humus back into the soil.  It also provides protection for beneficial insects and bacteria.