What do you guys think of control burning to kill seeds? My dad use to do that for his garden to prepare the soil. I'm not 100% sure how he did it but it maybe a good way.

Another way I have heard is to lay down black plastic and let the sun heat the soil up to kill seeds.

I lay down a thick bed of pine needles... no weeds will grow through it. Staw will work too.

Thanks for the help. One year, I put down left over wheat straw, bad, BAD idea. The next season weeds (or wheat) pushed the darn pins out of the ground that held my mesh-paper down. The paper works well but I'd love to have just the exposed dirt.

My solution is a shuffle hoe.....and not being a perfectionist.

I find a bit of mindless shuffling outside is good for my physical health and a bit of mindless shuffle hoe sharpening inside is good for my mental health.

I don't even pick up the weeds. Let them die in the Texas summer heat.

Last year we gave a gift of a shuffle hoe, as in our opinion it is one of the best weeding tools.

And putting poison down in a veggie garden?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Dan

Some veggie-safe products have corn meal gluten in them. They prevent seeds of both weeds AND veggies from sprouting. This is fine if you are planting only veggie transplants but not a good idea if you plan to direct seed anything. The CMG remains for awhile keeping weed seeds in the garden soil from sprouting. However, it does not stop growth from root fragments and it's effectiveness against seed is not 100% and doesn't last real long. It is safe around edibles and is a mild fertilizer, also.

I think of Weed and Feed as a lawn product that kills broadleaf (ie. non-grass) weeds when it contacts the leaf surface. It does nothing to stop seeds from germinating and growing into new weeds. It should NOT be used near things you plan to eat. If it were used in a veggie garden you would kill any non-grass/grain plants (ie. beans, tomatoes, lettuce, etc., etc.) and also add a toxin to your soil. Use one or some of the methods suggested by others, NOT Weed and Feed.

Thanks again. So I will NOT be doing any type weed/feed, got it. I'll be my best to get it cleaned up early and adding more 'clean' soil should help.

May just be breaking out the 'golden eagle claw' alot more this year.

Now if anyone can help me with SVB, I'll be set. Things have gotten my plants three years straight. Tried everything from Sevin Dust/Spray to physically inspecting each plant for the eggs...

I agree, no poisons in my veg. garden. I have used one of those preemergent types in a perennial bed over run with knot weed (annual Polygonum sp.)with only minimal success. This same company has now come out with a vegetable garden formulation. I can't for the life of me understand how this chemical tells the defference between a weed seed and a carrot seed.

Get a hoe, a good sun hat and in a few minutes a day you should be able to keep things under control.

Steve

Recommend a hoe. With some practice, one can weed a fairly large garden with a hoe easily. Pick a hot dry afternoon to it.

The best thing just water the plants let the area between the plants stay dry. Then after each rain go out there and pull the weeds by the plants. Then the next day use the shuffle hoe between the rows. You have to do this every time it rains because new weeds will sprout up. You have to stay on top of this if you don't want the weeds to take over. Good luck with your garden. Happy Weeding!!!

I have a large caladium bed that i battle weeds in. Could i use weed and feed in it?

NO! Weed and feed products are intended for lawns.......nowhere else!! The herbicides in these products cannot distinguish between a weed or a plant you consider valuable so can kill off anything that is not a grass-like plant.

btw, weed and feed products are not even highly recommended any longer for lawn care. They are expensive, inefficient, contribute greatly to pollution via run-off and are harmful to pets and small children.