Control of weeds important in garden Control of weeds important in garden
By Bill Geer
Published: July 19, 2007
Q:What is the best method for controlling weeds in my garden?
A:Weeds rob vegetables of water, light and nutrients. Weeds often harbor insects, diseases and nematodes that can damage vegetables and greatly reduce yields.
Advertisement
Mulching, hoeing and hand-weeding are methods that can be used to control most of the weeds in the garden and to eliminate the problems of applying a herbicide and the possibility of herbicide injury to the garden crop.
Good soil preparation, adequate control of weeds before planting and planting crops when the soil is warm enough to get them up rapidly are all good practices that will help maintain a minimum amount of labor for weed control. Many Oklahoma gardeners in rural areas have ample space for gardening. If this is the case, be sure to leave enough space between rows to allow room for cultivating equipment.
Cultivation and hoeing should be done when weeds are small because weeds compete with the crops for light, water and nutrients. Also, when weeds are large, they are much more difficult to remove without damaging the crops. Cultivation and hoeing should be done shallowly so that injury to the root system of the crop plants will not occur. Hand-weeding in the crop row is usually necessary.
Weeds may also be controlled with herbicides. However, chemical weed control in the home garden is difficult because of the diversity of the crops grown in the garden. It is hard to find an herbicide that is selective enough to remove a specific weed without the potential or probability that it will also kill or damage some of the crops in the garden. With several types of plants situated close together in a small area, some may be seriously damaged by any herbicide that you might select.
However, there are a few formulations available which make them safer and easier to use. For example, glyphosate foam is easier to use and poses less risk to desirable plants. Some pre-emergence herbicides can also be used successfully in the garden when transplants are used or after seeds sown have emerged and matured. Visit your local garden center or county extension office for information on pre-emergence herbicide products.
The best weed control in the home garden is a sharp hoe and good mulch.
Bill Geer is director of the Oklahoma County Extension Service. His column addresses frequently asked horticulture questions. For more information, call 713-1125.
Prev
