Weeds are undesirable plants that have a negative impact on the growth of your favorite veggies. These invasive plants spread and become out of control. You have to do something to control their growth. They deprive your plants of many things they need.
You can define a weed as a plant that grows in the wrong place. They grow from seed and become tiny rosettes or grass ling. If you don’t stop them from growing they will make more seed heads.
Your work becomes double because you have to apply a lot of effort to remove them from your vegetable Garden.
Negative Consequences Of Weeds On Vegetable Plants
- The development of vegetable plants is eradicated due to their presence.
- They start competing with the vegetable plants for nutrients, water, and light.
- Their presence can reduce the quality and quantity of vegetable crops in your garden.
- They become a problem for the survival of many edible plants as they have to compete with weeds.
- Weeds are not affected by pests or any fungal diseases but they provide natural habitat for them and disturb the suitable environment for other plants.
- Weeds grow very fast and reduce the natural diversity.
- Some weeds are parasites as they use other vegetable plants as hosts. The vegetable crop will die due to starvation, different diseases, or pest infestation because of them.
How To Stop The Growth Of Weeds In The Vegetable Garden?
You must have heard prevention is better than care so you must protect your plants by taking some useful steps before the problem escalates. Here are some practical tips although following them will not kill all the weeds but help you a lot to prevent them from becoming so invasive. When you control weeds at the start then they will not become a big problem for you.
REGULAR INSPECTION
Regularly examine your plants if you find any new growth of waves then pull them away so they can’t start making their new world in your vegetable garden.
STRATEGIC WATERING
After the rainy season, you will see there is a lot of growth of weeds. If you don’t take some simple and easy steps, they will soon take over your vegetable garden, and you have to make a lot of effort to control them.
SOAKER HOSE
You can use a soaker system to stop the growth of weeds and adjust the hose to leak the water where the plants are. In this way, the area between the plants remains dry.
BLACK PLASTIC
Using black plastic is another way of stopping the growth of weeds. It works like a mulch. You can use this amazing trick for row crops and hill crops like squash, tomatoes, and peppers. The best time to spread the sheet is during hot days and leave it for 6 to 8 weeks. The intense heat kills the weeds, pathogens, and pests.
PREVENT WEED SEED FORMATION
You will be shocked to know that a weed can spread thousands of seeds and cause future problems for you. You can control the production of seeds by hand-pulling, tillage, mulching, and mowing. These steps will help you stop the growth of weeds.
What Kind Of Weed Killers Can I Use In The Vegetable Garden?
Weed killers are herbicides that contain all the substances to control the growth of undesired weed plants. You can use herbicides in certain situations when you can’t control the growth of weeds in your vegetable garden.
PRE-EMERGENT WEED KILLERS
Premergent weed killers help to stop the germination process of weed seeds. When you are using such weed killers you should be careful because it can also prevent the germination and growth of other vegetable plants like corn, beans, lettuce, and others in your garden.
So you should prefer to limit the use of this kind of weed killer. You will get all the information about using such a type of weed killer on the label. It will also guide you about the frequency of application and its impact on the germination of seeds.
POST-EMERGENT WEED KILLER
Unlike pre-emergent weed killers, you can use this type of weed killer on the weeds that are growing in your vegetable garden and affecting the growth of your plants.
During this application, you must be careful because it can harm your vegetable plants too. The best time for the application of weed killers is when the winds are calm and the temperature is low.
The safe application is using a sponge and wiping it on the leaves of the weeds this will prevent your nearby vegetable crops. Make sure you are following the directions on the label to prevent the other plants.
ORGANIC WEED KILLER
You can use organic weed killers because they are effective. The natural ingredients that are used for making the best weed killers are citric acid, acetic acid, lemongrass oil, clove oil, ammonium nonanoate, d-limonene, and others.
Organic weed killers act on the leaves and stems of weeds but not on the roots. You can apply it every 2 to 3 weeks for best results. You can use this type of weed killer. For young and smaller weeds, organic weed killers are ideal.
Best Weed Killers For Your Vegetable Garden
The best way of controlling weeds in your vegetable garden is through weed killers. As you know weeds steal light and nutrients from the soil and reduce the yield.
You can use different weed removal methods to prevent your vegetable plants. There are some organic or chemically made solutions. Some weed killers are very effective and their application will help you a lot.
Hand pulling is another way of getting rid of weeds but it can disturb the roots of the plant and be time-consuming.
Following is the list of the best herbicides that can be used in your vegetable Garden and give you better results.
1- BOILING WATER
If you are looking for the cheapest way of combating weeds in your vegetable garden then use boiling water. The best and simplest idea is to use boiling water and pour it over the weeds but it involves risk and can also harm veggies in your garden.
There is no need to spend money fighting weeds. But it is better to pour it into the cracks of the patio or sidewalk where other plants are not nearby. Boiling water performed the function of weed killer and effectively killed the sprouted weeds.
When you are using boiling water you should be careful otherwise you will burn yourself. The best way is to use boiling water in a tea kettle so you can apply it directly to the weeds.
It should be noted that one application rarely kills all the weeds. So you have to repeat this process after 7 to 10 days. It is the cheapest way of combating weeds in your vegetable garden.
2- VINEGAR
The next weed killer that is included in our list is vinegar. It is an affordable weed killer that can be used safely in your vegetable garden.
Vinegar will become more effective when you add this soap and salt. This solution has a magical effect on the weeds. This solution can kill the weeds. You should be careful like weeds; your other plants can also die.
3- GLYPHOSATE
If you are looking for the safest weed killers then you must select glyphosate. It will help to kill broadleaf weeds and grasses. The best time for the application of glyphosate is from late spring to summer.
You can also apply it in the fall. Its application stops the movement of nutrients from leaves to the roots of perennial weeds. It also prevents the production of proteins in the weeds.
When you are using this herbicide you should be careful because neighbouring vegetables can be damaged when you are spraying. It is suggested that you wear gloves and goggles during the application of this incredible herbicide.
Keep Reading:
- Raised Bed Vegetable Gardening For Beginners
- 10 Magical And Organic Fertilizers For Your Vegetable Garden
- How To Start Raised Bed Vegetable Gardening For Beginners?
4- PENDIMETHALIN
To stop the germination process of weed seeds you can use pendimethalin because this is an effective pre-emergent weed killer. You can apply it before the growth of weeds.
Seeds will not sprout and form roots due to its application. You can also use it when the weeds are 6 inches tall. This weed killer will not work against annual broad-leaf weeds.
5- CORN GLUTEN MEAL
Weed killers contain a high amount of protein. This is a by-product of common milling and you can use it as a fertilizer and herbicide. This is a pre-emergent weed killer that is used to stop the sprouting of weed seeds.
Keep in mind this weed killer can’t be used for killing existing weeds. It is not harmful to earthworms and microorganisms so you can easily use it without any danger.
You can apply corn gluten meal around the young seedlings of vegetable plants to eradicate the germination of weed seeds. After the application, you should water it thoroughly so it can easily incorporate into the soil and give you good results. In case you want to control the weeds throughout the growing season then you can reapply it.
6- D- LIMONENE
This is a colourless liquid with an orange odour. D-limonene is found in citrus fruits and can be used as an insecticide and pesticide. It is very effective against fire ants and termites.
It is better to use a sprayer to apply this compound. When d-limonene enters the tissue of weeds their membrane loses the ability to retain nutrients and due to starvation, plants will die.
The waxy layer of the leaves of weeds breaks down due to suffocation. You have to show patience because several applications of the compound will kill weeds in the vegetable garden.
7- DACTHAL
You can easily use this weed killer in your vegetable garden. This is included in pre-emergent herbicide so it will stop the germination of the seeds.
If you have any danger of sprouting weed seeds in any area of your vegetable garden then you must apply dacthal. You can apply this compound around vegetables such as broccoli, turnips, cucumber, and cauliflowers.
Before the application, you must wear gloves because it is toxic and can irritate your skin. avoid its applications near water sources because it can contaminate water and is also harmful to fish. You can apply in the early growing season in April.
8- SETHOXYDIM
The sweet killer is effective for grasses. This is a post-emergent herbicide so it will work best when the weeds are grown properly. Its application can kill weeds.
You can use the sprayer for the perfect application. Crabgrass, goosegrass, annual bluegrass, and barnyard grass will die when you apply sethoxydim on them.
9- HERBICIDAL SOAPS
The soaps are made from natural ingredients so you can safely use them in your vegetable Garden. The harmful substances work and burn the tissues of weeds.
Make sure they only contact weeds, not other vegetable plants. You should apply it several times to fight the weeds. It is better to apply it on a sunny day.
10- TRIFLURALIN
This weed killer can stop the growth of weeds but can’t kill existing weeds. The ideal time for its application is before planting your favourite vegetable crops.
This is a liquid weed killer so you can easily spray it in your desired area. If you follow the instructions then you will see the best results. Don’t use this liquid when the temperature is more than 65 degrees Fahrenheit or 18 degrees Centigrade.
