Extension

Oklahoma gardeners are likely seeing an abundance of weeds in the vegetable garden because they’re, well, growing like weeds. If gardeners listen closely, they may claim to hear the weeds growing.

 

The excess moisture the state has received over the past few weeks has created a great environment for weed growth, but it’s important to keep them in check. Weeds are a thief, using up valuable water, light and nutrients. Plus, weeds can harbor pests, diseases and nematodes that can damage vegetable crops and reduce yield. This is why it’s important to nip the weed problem in the bud early on.

 

What’s a gardener to do? Mulching, hoeing and hand-weeding are methods that will help control weeds and hopefully reduce or eliminate the need to apply herbicides, which can possibly injure the plants. The rainfall has softened the soil, so weeds should pull up easily.

 

Gardeners who want to cut down on problematic weeds should always employ good soil preparation and adequate weed control before planting. When planting, leave enough space to walk easily between rows for hand-weeding or to allow room for cultivating equipment. Overcrowded garden space can inhibit weed growth when the leaves overlap at maturity.

 

Also, think about crop selection. Choose a crop and growing season in which the plant will emerge rapidly, shade the soil and prevent weed seed germination.

 

Another option is to use mulch. Mulches of either organic or synthetic material will shade the soil surface, resulting in suppressing most annual weed species. 

 

Consider cover crops as a method of weed control. Cover crops are ideal to shade out weeds or Bermuda grass. Bermuda grass can be shaded and discouraged by the dense canopy of cover crops such as sudangrass, sorghum or buckwheat. Establishing a cover crop regimen early can help with successfully shading out competitive weeds. Winter cover crops can prevent soil erosion, runoff and cool-season weed establishment. As a bonus, cover crops add valuable organic matter to the soil.

 

At the end of the gardening season, remove and destroy any remaining weeds and their seed heads. Just one weed produces a lot of seeds, which can remain viable in the soil for years.