Hoe weeds while they're tiny

Slice them off just under the surface on a dry, sunny morning, and they wither by afternoon. Thread-sized weeds take minutes to clear; the same weeds a month later take an afternoon.

When: Spring, Growing season

Weed for 10 minutes a day

A few minutes on a morning walk through the garden keeps weeds from ever getting ahead. It's when you'll spot the first bugs and droopy leaves, too.

When: Growing season

Pull weeds after a rain

In moist soil, roots slide out whole. Pulled from dry, hard soil, they snap off and grow back from what's left.

Don't let weeds go to seed

One pigweed or lamb's quarters plant can drop tens of thousands of seeds, and they can sprout for years. If you can't keep up with everything, at least pull the ones that are about to flower.

When: Growing season

Let weeds sprout before you sow

Get the bed ready and water it, then wait a week or two. Hoe off the weeds that come up without digging any deeper, and sow. The weed seeds near the surface are used up, so your crop comes up with far less company.

When: Spring

Smother weeds in the paths

Lay cardboard over the paths and cover it with 3 or 4 inches of wood chips. It keeps weeds down for a season or more, and keeps your shoes out of the mud.

When: Spring, Fall

Wear out deep-rooted weeds

Bindweed, thistle, and quackgrass grow back from bits of root, so pulling rarely finishes them. Cut them off at the ground every week or two: each new shoot uses up food stored in the roots, and over time they weaken and die out.

Keep weed seeds out of the compost

A backyard pile rarely gets hot enough to kill weed seeds and roots. Put weeds that have gone to seed, and the roots of bindweed and quackgrass, in the trash instead.

How to start a compost pile →