We have enjoyed beautiful spring and summer seasons here in Minnesota. The frequent rain falls have ignited plant growth and everywhere you see a brilliant emerald green. It bodes well for an abundant crop of greens, fruits, vegetables.......and weeds!
One of the biggest challenges organic gardeners face is weed control. Without the use of chemical herbicides, organic gardeners need to equip themselves with information (and hard work) to effectively keep weeds in check so their cultivated crops can grow.
Click Read More (below) to see the complete post.
But it is also helpful to reflect on what we have been taught about weeds, and create realistic goals and expectations.
As an organic gardener, I have found it beneficial to evaluate how important lawn aesthetics are to me. Is a chemically treated weed free lawn worth the risk to our family's health? Is it more important than providing a chemical free environment for our pets and the wild creatures who share the land with us?
We are socialized to believe our lawns must look like a golf course or we are not "taking care of" our property. These values are reinforced by companies selling chemical lawn care products and have been widely accepted by most people.
I have learned to live with weeds in my lawn, and have put my weed prevention and removal energies into our vegetable, herb, and flower gardens.
The word "weed" in and of itself is subjective. A weed is simply a plant that we don't have a use for, that is growing where we don't want it to grow. Maybe these "weeds" have uses that we have yet to discover.
Many of the medicinal plants I use such as; nettle, burdock, dandelion, and plantain are considered "weeds". Weeds like lambs quarter, purslane, and chickweed are highly nutritious and, when prepared properly, quite palatable.
Sometimes weeds serve the purpose of distracting damaging insects, like Japanese beetles, away from garden plants. As the insects feast on the weeds, they are ignoring the cultivated crops.
It is important to put weed control in the proper perspective. We don't need to "conquer nature" and eliminate every weed on our property, just control weed growth that prevents our cultivated vegetables, herbs, and flowers from growing. And to find this fine balance, information about weed growth is needed.
When you are figuring out which weed control technique to use, it is helpful to know whether the weed is an annual, biannual or perennial.
Annual weeds grow when the seed germinates in the spring and completes its entire life cycle (starting as a seed and ending by producing seeds) in the course of one growing season. Common edible annual weeds are lambs quarter and purslane.
Biannual weeds live for two years. They start as a seed in the spring, grow all summer long, store energy in their roots over the winter, put up new growth the following spring, produce seeds, and then die in the fall. Burdock, yellow dock, and mullein are medicinal biannual plants.
Perennial weeds winter over and continue growing from year to year. Some perennial weeds have deep carrot shaped roots, called tap roots, and others have roots that form "runners" that grow horizontal to the ground and spread outward. Perennial weeds propagate through seed production and from sending up new plants from the root. Quack grass and creeping charlie are two common perennial weeds that are difficult to eradicate.
The best way to control annual weeds is to prevent germination. Most seeds need sunlight and moisture to germinate and covering the soil with a thick layer of mulch will limit the sunlight. If a seed does germinate, the heft of the mulch can smother the plant before it can begin to grow Any tenacious plant that does manage to grow can be easily plucked out as the mulch will prevent the soil from becoming compacted and hard.
I strive to cover all bare soil in both my vegetable gardens and perennial flower beds with a layer of mulch.
Straw, grass clippings, last fall's leaves, coco bean hulls, and wood chips are natural mulches that will not only inhibit weed growth, but will also keep moisture levels stable, enrich the soil as they decompose, and prevent soil compaction. Pine needles can also be used around plants, such as blueberries, that require acidic soil.
I use leaves, grass clippings, pine needles, and wood chips as mulch, as organic straw is not readily available in my area. Most straw is a by product of conventional wheat or oat production and may contain residual pesticides and herbicides.
If mulching isn't possible or if you don't get it done before the weeds appear, it is important to remove the weeds while they are still small. Annual weeds allowed to grow to maturity will create thousands of seeds per plant making weed control even more difficult the following year.
There are several techniques you can use to remove small annual weeds; Once the weeds have grown into bigger plants these techniques are more difficult and less effective.
If you have small weeds growing in walkways, driveways or other areas away from your cultivated plants you can try these methods as well;
Biannual Weeds
Biannual weeds can be prevented using the same techniques used for annual weeds during their first year of growth. If they have wintered over and begin to grow again in the spring, then they will need to be dug up. Most biannual weeds have deep tap roots in a carrot shape. Many times the root has small horizontal shoots that anchor it in the ground making removing it labor intensive.
During the second year of growth, biannual weeds are much bigger and dominate valuable garden space and form seeds. If the root will not come out, you can cut down the top growth. This will prevent seed formation. You may find that new top growth is formed and you will need to continue cutting it down. In the fall of the second year of growth, the root will die.
Perennial Weeds
Perennial weeds are the most challenging to control, so it is a good idea to make sure your garden bed is free from perennial weed roots before planting your garden.
To limit the size and spread of the roots, pull the plants (making sure you get all the root) as soon as you see them appear in your garden. Some perennial grasses with rhizome roots can grow a new plant from even a small piece of root.
(A rhizome is a root like subterranean stem, commonly horizontal in position, that usually produces roots below and sends up shoots progressively from the upper surface.)
Protecting the perimeter of your garden to prevent perennial roots from creeping in is also helpful. If your garden is surrounded by lawn, a border can serve as a barrier. Barriers can be deep or wide. Landscape edging is deep and prevents roots from growing into your garden Wide pavers can be used to prevent the horizontal spread in the top inch or so and for the width of the brick. No barrier is completely fool proof, so expect manually pulling of perennial weed roots as part of your routine garden maintenance.
Native American culture teaches that every plant has at least one use for human kind, be it food, medicine, or utility. Discovering the gifts plants (especially weeds) have to offer will make their presence that much more tolerable. Here are some ideas to make the most out of your weeds;
Be kind to yourself. Sometime events beyond your control will prevent your gardens from looking their best (or even good).
This summer we had the perfect storm for weed growth; frequent heavy rainfalls and sunny days. Then, due to the standing water created by the heavy rainfall, we had an explosion of mosquitoes.
For the past seven weeks, weeding has been nearly impossible as the swarming, biting mosquitoes have made spending any time outside unbearable. It is amazing how fast crab grass can grow!
But in the light of nature's challenges, it is wise to keep our gardening objectives in mind and judge our success on more than simply weed control.
 |
| Our bountiful vegetable garden. |
One of the biggest challenges organic gardeners face is weed control. Without the use of chemical herbicides, organic gardeners need to equip themselves with information (and hard work) to effectively keep weeds in check so their cultivated crops can grow.
Click Read More (below) to see the complete post.
But it is also helpful to reflect on what we have been taught about weeds, and create realistic goals and expectations.
Reflecting on Weeds
As an organic gardener, I have found it beneficial to evaluate how important lawn aesthetics are to me. Is a chemically treated weed free lawn worth the risk to our family's health? Is it more important than providing a chemical free environment for our pets and the wild creatures who share the land with us?
 |
| Our weedy lawn includes dutch clover for the bees and chickens. |
We are socialized to believe our lawns must look like a golf course or we are not "taking care of" our property. These values are reinforced by companies selling chemical lawn care products and have been widely accepted by most people.
I have learned to live with weeds in my lawn, and have put my weed prevention and removal energies into our vegetable, herb, and flower gardens.
The word "weed" in and of itself is subjective. A weed is simply a plant that we don't have a use for, that is growing where we don't want it to grow. Maybe these "weeds" have uses that we have yet to discover.
Many of the medicinal plants I use such as; nettle, burdock, dandelion, and plantain are considered "weeds". Weeds like lambs quarter, purslane, and chickweed are highly nutritious and, when prepared properly, quite palatable.
 |
| First year burdock growing on our root cellar mound - fall harvest planned. |
Sometimes weeds serve the purpose of distracting damaging insects, like Japanese beetles, away from garden plants. As the insects feast on the weeds, they are ignoring the cultivated crops.
 |
| Japanese beetles ignoring the medicinal herb, spilanthes and eating a weed instead. |
It is important to put weed control in the proper perspective. We don't need to "conquer nature" and eliminate every weed on our property, just control weed growth that prevents our cultivated vegetables, herbs, and flowers from growing. And to find this fine balance, information about weed growth is needed.
When you are figuring out which weed control technique to use, it is helpful to know whether the weed is an annual, biannual or perennial.
Weed Categories
Annual weeds grow when the seed germinates in the spring and completes its entire life cycle (starting as a seed and ending by producing seeds) in the course of one growing season. Common edible annual weeds are lambs quarter and purslane.
 |
| Purslane growing on our vegetable bed border. |
Biannual weeds live for two years. They start as a seed in the spring, grow all summer long, store energy in their roots over the winter, put up new growth the following spring, produce seeds, and then die in the fall. Burdock, yellow dock, and mullein are medicinal biannual plants.
 |
| Slim blades of first year yellow dock. |
Perennial weeds winter over and continue growing from year to year. Some perennial weeds have deep carrot shaped roots, called tap roots, and others have roots that form "runners" that grow horizontal to the ground and spread outward. Perennial weeds propagate through seed production and from sending up new plants from the root. Quack grass and creeping charlie are two common perennial weeds that are difficult to eradicate.
 |
| Quack grass that has invaded my vegetable garden and needs to be pulled soon. |
Weed Control Techniques
Annual WeedsThe best way to control annual weeds is to prevent germination. Most seeds need sunlight and moisture to germinate and covering the soil with a thick layer of mulch will limit the sunlight. If a seed does germinate, the heft of the mulch can smother the plant before it can begin to grow Any tenacious plant that does manage to grow can be easily plucked out as the mulch will prevent the soil from becoming compacted and hard.
I strive to cover all bare soil in both my vegetable gardens and perennial flower beds with a layer of mulch.
Straw, grass clippings, last fall's leaves, coco bean hulls, and wood chips are natural mulches that will not only inhibit weed growth, but will also keep moisture levels stable, enrich the soil as they decompose, and prevent soil compaction. Pine needles can also be used around plants, such as blueberries, that require acidic soil.
 |
| A thick layer of leaves kept the weeds in the walkways under control. |
I use leaves, grass clippings, pine needles, and wood chips as mulch, as organic straw is not readily available in my area. Most straw is a by product of conventional wheat or oat production and may contain residual pesticides and herbicides.
 |
| Fresh grass clippings serve as mulch between rows of shell beans. |
 |
| Last fall's leaves placed in garden beds and walkways prevent weed seeds from germinating. |
Bare soil in walkways can be covered with cardboard or newspaper, before adding natural much, for an extra thick barrier. Some gardeners use a fabric weed block as well. I have tried fabric weed block products and found that perennial weeds will grow right through them. If the weed has a broad root, you may be unable to put it out through the fabric, which will make weeding that much more difficult.
Corn gluten meal, which can be sourced at feed mills, can be used to prevent seed germination. Some organic commercial lawn care products use corn gluten meal to prevent crab grass growth. Since corn gluten meal prevents germination, it should only be used around plants - not in garden beds where you will be planting vegetable seeds. I find it helpful to prevent weeds around garden borders. The key to success is to spread the meal just prior to the time when the seed will germinate.
Corn gluten meal, which can be sourced at feed mills, can be used to prevent seed germination. Some organic commercial lawn care products use corn gluten meal to prevent crab grass growth. Since corn gluten meal prevents germination, it should only be used around plants - not in garden beds where you will be planting vegetable seeds. I find it helpful to prevent weeds around garden borders. The key to success is to spread the meal just prior to the time when the seed will germinate.
If mulching isn't possible or if you don't get it done before the weeds appear, it is important to remove the weeds while they are still small. Annual weeds allowed to grow to maturity will create thousands of seeds per plant making weed control even more difficult the following year.
 |
| Crab grass left to grow will produce thousands of seeds per plant. |
There are several techniques you can use to remove small annual weeds; Once the weeds have grown into bigger plants these techniques are more difficult and less effective.
- Manually pull them
- Use a hoe to cut off the stem at ground level
If you have small weeds growing in walkways, driveways or other areas away from your cultivated plants you can try these methods as well;
- Use a propane torch to scorch the weeds. This works best right after a rain when the plant is full of moisture, as the flame boils the moisture, damaging plant tissues.
- Pour boiling water on them.
- Spray them with a mixture of 1 gallon vinegar, 2 C epsom salt, and 1/4 C dish soap on a hot sunny day. This technique does not always kill the root, but does slow down growth.
Biannual Weeds
Biannual weeds can be prevented using the same techniques used for annual weeds during their first year of growth. If they have wintered over and begin to grow again in the spring, then they will need to be dug up. Most biannual weeds have deep tap roots in a carrot shape. Many times the root has small horizontal shoots that anchor it in the ground making removing it labor intensive.
During the second year of growth, biannual weeds are much bigger and dominate valuable garden space and form seeds. If the root will not come out, you can cut down the top growth. This will prevent seed formation. You may find that new top growth is formed and you will need to continue cutting it down. In the fall of the second year of growth, the root will die.
 |
| Second year burdock flowers also known as "cockle burrs" |
Perennial Weeds
Perennial weeds are the most challenging to control, so it is a good idea to make sure your garden bed is free from perennial weed roots before planting your garden.
To limit the size and spread of the roots, pull the plants (making sure you get all the root) as soon as you see them appear in your garden. Some perennial grasses with rhizome roots can grow a new plant from even a small piece of root.
(A rhizome is a root like subterranean stem, commonly horizontal in position, that usually produces roots below and sends up shoots progressively from the upper surface.)
Protecting the perimeter of your garden to prevent perennial roots from creeping in is also helpful. If your garden is surrounded by lawn, a border can serve as a barrier. Barriers can be deep or wide. Landscape edging is deep and prevents roots from growing into your garden Wide pavers can be used to prevent the horizontal spread in the top inch or so and for the width of the brick. No barrier is completely fool proof, so expect manually pulling of perennial weed roots as part of your routine garden maintenance.
 |
| Pavers slow down the progression of perennial weeds. |
Finding Uses for Weeds
Native American culture teaches that every plant has at least one use for human kind, be it food, medicine, or utility. Discovering the gifts plants (especially weeds) have to offer will make their presence that much more tolerable. Here are some ideas to make the most out of your weeds;
- Eat them in salads, cooked for "pot greens" or in soups, or as a tea ingredient. Lambs quarter, chickweed, purslane, and wood and sheep sorrel, are not only high in nutrition, but readily grow in most garden settings. Nettles are also a nutritional powerhouse and can be cooked or used to make teas.
 |
| Wood sorrel has a lemony flavor. |
- Use lambsquarter, chickweed, purslane or nettles as ingredients in green smoothies.
- Feed them to your chickens - making your chickens happy with a big tub of fresh greens makes weeding that much more satisfying.
- Use them for compost - organic gardens rely on compost to enrich and replenish the soil. Garden weeds will break down into "black gold" when added to an active compost pile. You may want to avoid putting weeds that have "gone to seed" in your compost to limit the number of seeds you introduce into your garden beds.
- Take advantage of the medicinal uses of common weeds such as dandelions, burdock, yellow dock, sheep sorrel, and plantain. Chickweed and nettles do double duty as both food and medicine.
- Learn how to infuse medicinal herbs/weeds such as plantain and chickweed to make herbal salves.
- Allow some weeds to grow to attract insects that would otherwise eat your cultivated plants.
- Feed the bees. Experts on colony collapse disorder at the University of Minnesota credit lack of habitat/food (especially flowering weeds) as one of the top three reasons our bees are dying. Allowing dutch clover, dandelions, and even creeping charlie to live in your lawn will help feed the bees. Wild flower honey is not only delicious, but has powerful healing properties.
 |
| Creeping Charlie invading the garden border. |
- We give our 14 year old chinchilla a bouquet of dandelion and clover flowers for a treat. He loves eating fresh greens and is enjoying a long and healthy life.
 |
| Chipper enjoying his daily ration of flowering weeds. |
In Summary
This summer we had the perfect storm for weed growth; frequent heavy rainfalls and sunny days. Then, due to the standing water created by the heavy rainfall, we had an explosion of mosquitoes.
For the past seven weeks, weeding has been nearly impossible as the swarming, biting mosquitoes have made spending any time outside unbearable. It is amazing how fast crab grass can grow!
But in the light of nature's challenges, it is wise to keep our gardening objectives in mind and judge our success on more than simply weed control.
If you have harvested chemical free food for your family, count that as a success and be proud of your efforts. If the plants and shrubs in your flower gardens are bigger than the weeds, be happy.
Each spring we get another chance to have a great garden. Every mistake made, can be a lesson learned, and this new found knowledge can be used to grow a more productive garden each year.
Happy harvesting!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comments and questions are welcome!