Set aside a small portion of prime soil. Apply solar sterilization (use mirrors and glass cover to increase temps, speed, and effectiveness - as with solar oven)to kill all weed seeds present. This sterile soil will be used for germinating seeds in.
Next, "treat" the entire rest of your garden's soil with corn gluten which will prevent most seeds from germinating. Regular applications are needed as effectiveness increases as components build up in soil.
When you want to plant seeds in your rows, simply draw a slight "V" , line it with a layer or two of newspaper (also shaped in V to fit) and fill this small "trench with sterilized untreated soil. Your seed will germinate in this small V of soil, grow through the newspaper and by the time they hit the treated soil they will be established.
Applying generous amounts of compost mulch will ice the cake and you should rarely see a weed.
Now this method will not kill any perennial or biennial weeds that are already established . . . and it doesn't guarantee that no weeds will ever show up . . . but it is effective enough to be worth the effort, and cost of the corn gluten. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Toward Weed Free Gardening
