The smothering technique and weed control

[Admin]

We're pretty late in any form of garden prep this year. With all the cold weather and rain the garden was the last thing on our minds. Yesterday we covered our garden spot with a tarp to smother out weed production. I'll leave it on for a rew weeks and then get it tilled. Normally I do this long in advance and it works great.

Anybody else use the smothering technique?

What do you do for weed control in your garden?

[trapperandhunter]

never heard of it before ? sounds interesting !

[ninedeer]

yes JC iv done the same thing with a tarp.I also use newspaper around some of my plants to help keep the weed down.can be a pain if its dry and the wind blows. iv used straw and hay chaf too

[Admin]

So far from my experience, hay and straw make the best mulch. Our best gardens were when we used hay to keep the weeds down.

[woodsman416]

I use year old horse manure as mulch in a lot of my beds. It retards weed growth and fertilizes the plants at the same time. ;D

[Admin]

A lot of folks also suggested that the hay would only cause more weed growth due to the hay seed but I didn't have any issues with that. Not sure of it's because the hay was old or not. When we used it we had the most trouble free garden ever and really great harvest. Fresh hay would probably cause the weed problem you mentioned.

[patricimo54]

I have been using old newspaper that I wet down to keep it from blowing off. I will also put a little spent hay or leaf matter on it as well.

I never use the slick inserts. If i had a shredder I would preshred them first, but I think I would still start with a layer of full sheets and then add the shredded on top.

[fishleclair]

I just let the Weeds come in, I ve plucked picked and prunned them for years. I use straw as a mulch in my garden and leaves and grass clippings, Till it all in and go buy me veggies already started at the Nursery that the old folks run. Works great for me. I do plant my own peas and potatoes.

[stomper]

Farmers make hay when it blooms but before it has not gone to seed yet. I don't think hay seed would be a issue.

[dogman]

Does black plastic work better or clear?Thought black would kill the weeds,thinking about trying it.