Helpful Tricks to Combat Weeds
The goal for my blog posts are to not only show you what is going on and growing at the farm but to also show you tips, tricks and useful information that I am learning. Please feel free to share any tips that you may have as well!
One of the biggest challenges any farmer or gardener faces is the dreaded W word...WEEDS. Here in PA our summers are hot and humid just what the buggers like. I can remember helping my dad weed the vegetable garden and it was sheer misery. Some of the weeds were up to my waist...was I really supposed to be able to find a pepper plant in that jungle? I am sharing with you today two things that I have found and feel they work really well at combating those dreaded W's.
The first is a product called Flora-Flow.
I discovered this last spring when I was taking a class from Jennie Love who owns and operates Love'n Fresh Flowers (don't you just love the play on her name??). This is a plastic mulch that has some very neat things about it. The first is that it has holes that are pre-punched and perforated every six inches. You are able to tear the holes out depending on the spacing that you desire for whatever is being planted. Secondly, it has drip tape that is attached underneath it. You do not have to worry about making sure your drip line is secured in the right spot or shifting as you lay out your landscape fabric. The third really cool thing about this product is that it comes in white, black and red. I use the white for our cool season flowers and the black for those that do better in warmer weather like zinnias. Sam Finney is the founder of Flora-Flow and is so amazingly helpful when you call to order, he will help you with any irrigation or ordering questions that you may have.
The second is a six foot garden hoe from The Gardener's Workshop.
This tool is lightweight and will last a lifetime. The way it is crafted you do not have to stoop or chop to remove the weed. You stand with your palms around the handle with your thumbs pointing in an upward position, it feels a little awkward at first but really helps with your posture. This tool is great to use in beds that you direct seed your plants and do not have landscape fabric. I run it through the beds once a week just deep enough to uproot any newly established seedlings but not so deep that it wakes up any that are lying dormant deeper in the soil. With this method I am not on my hands and knees or bent over in awkward angles yanking up weeds.
If you are planning a garden I hope that you will consider trying one of these products out.
Happy Gardening!
Katie
