Weeds
A weed is really just any plant growing where it isn't wanted — the term says more about the gardener's intentions than the plant itself. Left unchecked, weeds compete with garden plants for water, nutrients, and light, so a bit of regular attention goes a long way.
Pull Them Young
Weeds are far easier to remove — and less likely to have already set seed — when pulled while still small. Watering the bed first loosens the soil, making it much easier to get the whole root out rather than snapping off the top and leaving the root to resprout.
Perennial weeds with deep taproots, like dandelions, often need a weeding tool to pry the whole root free — leaving even a small piece behind can let the plant regrow.
A two-to-three-inch layer of mulch blocks the sunlight most weed seeds need to germinate, cutting down significantly on future weeding.
Don't Let Them Go to Seed
A single weed plant can produce thousands of seeds, so pulling weeds before they flower is one of the most effective ways to reduce next year's weed problem. Avoid tossing seeding weeds into a home compost pile unless it reaches a high enough temperature to kill the seeds.
