The Art of Weeding©
Posted: Monday, September 01, 2008
by Arlene Wright-Correll
http://www.learn-america.com
Remember the theme song from the TV series "Monk"? It's called "It's a Jungle Out There" and I think that many times it refers to my gardens.
Most of the growing activity is not anything I planted. Many of the things growing in abundance are weeds, especially perennial weeds.
Productive weeding is really an art. I often try to control the weeds by pulling them early as I am sure you also do but those little guys are as "stubborn as weeds" as the saying goes.
Basically most weeds do not sprout until the really warm weather sets in and then they fill every bare spot in my garden. This has some benefits for the person doing the weeding. When there are an abundance of weeds I can attack them all at once, any way I want and I won't be wasting your time on just a few weeds.
In our zone 6 for the past two seasons, including this season, we have been experiencing global warming droughts and that makes for harder weeding. I find that right after any rain is the best time to weed as the weeds come out easier.
When there is no rain then I water everything down at the root level. Soak the area. Even deep rooted weeds are easier to get out of moist soil.
The other day we are in one of Carl's favorite discount tool stores and he bought some things he needed for Avalon Stained Glass School including a big box of really inexpensive latex gloves. This gave me a great idea.
I am faster at doing things than Carl is so basically when we are getting ready to leave Home Farm I am outside before he is. Usually leaving Home Farm requires me to put on some clothes that are not full of paint from my artist studio and look pretty clean. However, while I am waiting for him I am spotting and pulling out a weed here and there and in no time at all my hands and fingernails are full of dirt. Now what I do is quickly take out a one of his latex gloves and pull some weeds. When he comes out to get into the car I yank off the latex glove, dirt and all, and throw it and the weeds into the trash pail and I am still clean.
Yes, I think I am getting this weed pulling game down to an art!
Most of the growing activity is not anything I planted. Many of the things growing in abundance are weeds, especially perennial weeds.
Productive weeding is really an art. I often try to control the weeds by pulling them early as I am sure you also do but those little guys are as "stubborn as weeds" as the saying goes.
In our zone 6 for the past two seasons, including this season, we have been experiencing global warming droughts and that makes for harder weeding. I find that right after any rain is the best time to weed as the weeds come out easier.
When there is no rain then I water everything down at the root level. Soak the area. Even deep rooted weeds are easier to get out of moist soil.
The other day we are in one of Carl's favorite discount tool stores and he bought some things he needed for Avalon Stained Glass School including a big box of really inexpensive latex gloves. This gave me a great idea.
I am faster at doing things than Carl is so basically when we are getting ready to leave Home Farm I am outside before he is. Usually leaving Home Farm requires me to put on some clothes that are not full of paint from my artist studio and look pretty clean. However, while I am waiting for him I am spotting and pulling out a weed here and there and in no time at all my hands and fingernails are full of dirt. Now what I do is quickly take out a one of his latex gloves and pull some weeds. When he comes out to get into the car I yank off the latex glove, dirt and all, and throw it and the weeds into the trash pail and I am still clean.
Yes, I think I am getting this weed pulling game down to an art!
"Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime… May your day be filled with…
Peace, Light and Love,
Author's note: This article was originally written for GreenThumbArticles.com
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)I'm in Florida and I have never seen so mnay flourishingweeds. Dig down dep, oull out everything, repllace the soil and a week later "They're back.Robert, many weeds, especially perennial weeds grow by a creeping root system and those may be what you have.
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