Lazy Ways to Weed the Garden

Weeding is important. Not only does it make our gardens look nicer, but it keeps weeds from choking out desirable plants, sucking up all the nutrients and water that should go to them. But sometimes we Proverbs 31 Women are just too busy or tired to hoe or weed by hand. I'm having one of those times currently. How do I deal with it? I weed the lazy way.



* I offer rewards to children who weed. Really little ones can't weed without supervision (or they might pull up desirable plants), but my 8 year old can do some weeding unsupervised, as long as I'm specific about where she's allowed to weed and what plants aren't weeds in that area. For example, I can safely have her weed among mature plants, but I wouldn't have her weed around seedlings. The reward itself (and how much weeding warrants it) is up to you.

* I pull weeds, but I don't worry about getting the roots. (More on this, below.)

* I simply cut off the weeds at ground level, removing all the leaves. With the latter two methods, the weeds will regrow new leaves, but if I repeat the removal of the leaves a couple more times, the weed will die. Unless it's a very persistent weed, like dandelion or buttercup.

* I have my husband till garden pathways. I do this only in our main veggie bed. He tills just the surface of the soil, so the topsoil isn't disturbed too much, and the weeds die and feed the soil by composting.

* I am very sure to at least remove the flowers from all weeds. This prevents them from spreading by seed. And it's also a great job for kids, since it's pretty difficult to mess up.

* I don't get very fussy about where I put weeds. Instead of hauling them over to the composters, or the chickens, or the rabbit, or even to the garbage can (if they are too seedy or invasive to compost or not safe for the animals), I may just toss them on the ground in the garden. Here, they will feed the soil and act a little like mulch. If I'm worried about looks, I may toss them under a bush where no one will see them. Or I might lay mulch over them, if the garden hasn't been previously mulched. Usually, however, I don't worry about looks. In a few sunny days, the weeds blend in with the soil.

* For invasive weeds - those that are really impossible to get rid of by pulling or removing leaves, like buttercups - I don't reach for the Roundup. Instead, I try one of the methods in my "World's Easiest, Safest and Best DIY Weed Killers," like boiling water or vinegar. I also make a mental note of the area and - in the fall - lay cardboard down over the invasive weed. Water it well and weigh it down with stones or bricks, and the weed problem will be cured - or mostly so - by spring.

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