Weed Control Tips & Planting Seeds

Question:

What tips can you give me on controlling the weeds in my two-year-old sheet mulched front garden? I've heard that vinegar and liquid soap works

Answer:

  •  It happens every year. As soon as the rainy season begins, unwanted vegetation pops up everywhere. The dormant weed seeds that have laid dormant for months start germinating.
  • The best advice for this annual task is to begin early controlling seedlings while they're tiny and don't procrastinate.
    • They're not growing slowly but just wait. Longer days and warmer temperatures will trigger the growth. Once Daylight Savings Time starts, March 14 this year, the weeds accelerating quickly.
      • The two primary methods of controlling weeds are manually with a hoe or with a herbicide.
      • The significant advantage of starting early is that you can hoe a big area quickly with no sweat. Herbicides cover a much large space when the weeds are tiny.
    •  For seasonal weeds and grasses, vinegar and soap will work. However, many of today's organic herbicides use a combination of citric acid and essential oils of rosemary cinnamon, wintergreen clove, and other plants.
    • These are non-selective, so you would not apply them to your lawn or ground cover. Their mode of action is to burn the tissue causing the plants to die. Round-Up and similar products are also available.
    • All of these products have to be reapplied as necessary throughout the growing season.
    • I'm going to assume that a drip system is being used to water the plants. This would eliminate applying a pre-emergent herbicide that would kill the weed seeds before they germinate. After two years, the sheet mulch has deteriorated significantly. You might want to think of updating it if you have a significant number of reoccurring weeds.

NOTE: Sheet mulching, also known as composting in place, mimics nature by breaking down organic material from the topmost layers down. The simplest form of sheet mulching consists of applying a bottom layer of decomposable material, such as cardboard or newspapers, to the ground to kill existing vegetation and suppress weeds (From Wikipedia). You'll also find it referred to as lasagna gardening.

Question:

Can you tell me when it is safe to plant seeds? I don't want to be too early. 

Answer:

  • The timing depends on what you're planting.
  • Carrots, beets, turnips, lettuce are planted year-round in the ground or containers. Tomatoes and peppers are best started in flats along with the other summer vegetables. The same is true with seasonal color. You should figure on eight weeks from the time you sow the seed until you plant in the open ground.
  • Seeds started today in flats should be ready in late April. The benefit of starting seedlings in flats is that you are only transplanting the most vigorous plants.
  • 'd avoid stating Pansies, Violas, and Iceland Poppies, as they will fade when the temperatures get warm. Instead, I would start Marigolds, Petunias, Impatiens, Vinca, and others. They will grow and flower in the summer and fall.