Author Topic: HELP -The weeds are taking over the veggie plot! (Read 5200 times)

Christine B · « **on:** June 25, 2009, 10:03:10 am »

Our house in France has a HUGE garden which has been left to go wild for about 5 years at least!!

We are getting there slowly but the veggie patch that I dug over - and which has a fine crop of veggies - now also has a fine crop of weeds.... Aaaarrrrgggghhhh

I try - oh how hard I try - to keep them under control but they grow as I watch them and are now defeating me.

I see other people spraying their veggies and I know it is weedkiller but I thought you couldn't use it on veggie plots?

I don't speak enough technical/gardening French to ask them - so has anyone got any advice for me please?

Is there anything I can use?

Chris

MrRee · « **Reply #1 on:** June 25, 2009, 10:17:29 am »

Old straw,hay,grass cuttings,cardboard,newspapers,bedding from the chickens/ducks/sheep/pigs et al. All will help as weed surpressants,just leave a 6inch diameter gap around the base of each plant.
This is our second year of having a plot,much like yours,ours was a virgin plot dug from a piece of ground left untouched for 5 years or so. I think I've finally sorted out the wireworm problem,but the creeping buttercup,grass,dandelions and thistles still make a show. We left our plots covered up from last harvest in autumn til first planting in March,and still the weeds keep coming,even with all the mulching. I don't think we'll ever get there,and hoeing is so tedious!.... Ree

sheila · « **Reply #2 on:** June 25, 2009, 12:45:04 pm »

At the end of the growing season, dig the plot, removing as much bindweed etc as is possible and then cover it all with old carpets or something that will keep the light out. it's amazing how nice the soil will be and ready for planting in spring.

aparker155 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 25, 2009, 03:35:07 pm »

I have the same problem and am frankly sick of spending every weekend weeding - next year I'm going to mulch fabric everything!!! Although I do like the idea of reusing the chicken straw as my compost heaps are getting full of the stuff - is this really effective?

rustyme · « **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2009, 04:16:53 pm »

you could just hoe and rake off the weeds each week but only to the depth of the rake ...DO NOT disturb any deeper . That way all the weed seed in the top 3" will germinate and after a few weeks no more seeds to germinate...I have done this many times and it does work ...there are only so many weed seeds there to germinate . Let them do so, then hoe and rake off , let them germinate again , hoe and rake off , but don't go any deeper than the the rake teeth. I really do not understand the reasoning behind mulching forever, it leaves ALL the weed seeds there to germinate at the first opportunity they get. Each to their own and all that , but it is so much easier to hoe and rake once a week till they are all gone from the top 3" or so . Why try to fight them ... let them germinate, hoe them , then rake them off simple ....What this is mainly I think, is people have forgotten how to manage veggie plots . They have got used to just spraying everything in sight with weed killer and not doing the basics of ground clearing . Mulching will not cure the problem of weeds , it will only cover them , they are still there !!! Bindweed , dock , dandelion etc have to be dug up , but weed seeds HAVE to be allowed to germinate , otherwise they remain in situ.
Hoeing and raking is part and parcel of gardening , and is very quick unless you are doing 1/2 an acre or more. You can even just rake any bare ground with germinated weeds on hot sunny days and the sun will kill those lifted . Do that every other day , it takes just a few minutes, and in no time no more weeds....You just have to remember not to bring up any soil from below the cleared top few inches. Been doing this for 40 odd years now and it works folks, it is just using nature and the weather. Very simple , easy to do , free, and eco friendly , it is also the way it has been done since man has toiled the earth, why try to change it ? work with it !! You won't beat it !! This isn't a rant or a moan , as I say everyone does things their own way , this is mine and it was everybodies not that long ago .

cheers

Russ

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2009, 04:57:14 pm »

same problem here and we are in central Scotland! I cover about a meter width around the veg bed with card or even old wardrobe doors, anything that blocks the light coming through. this at least stops the creepers in their tracks a bit. Everything else is elbow grease and weeding, weeding, weeding before they go to seed. I've failed this task again...At least some of my weeds are actually self seeded herbs, like rocket, fennel and celery, so I eat them and the birds have the dandelions and chickweed.

Fluffywelshsheep · « **Reply #6 on:** June 25, 2009, 06:46:20 pm »

I must admit am the same here, but all i do it remove the weeds you can't stop them by bying anything.

It just a matter of getting covering plants to surpress the weed growth.

You could cover the ground inbetween the veg with old carpet etc but this might harbour the bad pest .

Linz

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #7 on:** June 25, 2009, 09:19:46 pm »

Linz, what's your bad pest? Mine's mildew...

Fluffywelshsheep · « **Reply #8 on:** June 25, 2009, 09:26:06 pm »

lol am not gona tempt fait with saying i don't have any lol

Aphids, slugs, wireworms, and meal worm thingies

(the later i think is why i have lots of birdies around the place)

Linz

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #9 on:** June 25, 2009, 09:27:26 pm »

if you had hens they'd be happy birdies...

Fluffywelshsheep · « **Reply #10 on:** June 25, 2009, 09:32:11 pm »

lol I have started to put them to one place, once i dig them up so the birds can get them. Am waitting for hubby to sort out a bird table for me so i can start placing them on it so they wont go back in to the ground.

Linz

Christine B · « **Reply #11 on:** June 28, 2009, 07:46:48 am »

Thank you for all your input folks - and your suggestions.

So it looks as if there's nothing else for it but hard work - DAMN! I was looking for an easy solution

Oh well - I'd better get moving because we had raoin last night and the grass and weeds have shot up! Thet grow 3-4 inches high overnight when it rains - I kid you not, been out with the ruler!

Thanks again
Chris X