How to keep grass from growing?
 

We planted a garden this year for the first time, I turned it with the moldboard and then ran a rototiller through it. The grass seems to be growing back rapidly and im looking for the best way to prevent it.

http://www.easydigging.com/images-ne...-gardening.jpg

Helps not only with the weeds but allows water and air to better penetrate the soil. Also softens the soil to promote root growth.

Many people pay for gym memberships. You have an excellent source of exercise to build upper body strength. It's called grass in your garden. LOL

But seriously, all those little bits of grass roots that get chopped up and redistributed on a new garden, many of them are viable and will sprout up. In your situation, with veggies growing you have only one choice, a good hoe and some sweat.

Too late for this advise now, but on a new sod-busting garden I roundup the sod first. Then all those root bits are toasted anyway and won't re-sprout later. I know of no other thing to do once garden has veggies to get rid of grass/weeds unless you have really good aim with a sprayer.

Totally agree, makes life much easier. I still pick up my hoe and dig up the soil 3-4 times a year, it seems to form a hard layer on top after a while from the rain which causes water to run off instead of soaking in. The plants visibly respond to working the soil. Also keeps the weeds down.

You will find Round-up to be just OK,, once you try treflan.

I have applied treflan since 1975,,, it is a great product, one of the few that can defeat both seed and rhizomes of Johnson grass.

This is a garden only product,,, it MUST be tilled in, and tilling twice is best.

I think the garden/flower bed version you can get at the big box store is called Preen.

What, no picture of a shiny gravely tiller or something? :biggrin2::beerchug:

I just looked this stuff up. Sounds interesting! Thanks CAD! It's true, your post is just the same without a pic of the gravely. I barely knew it was you without it.

You gotta fight grass with grass. Go through the garden with a hoe, throw clumps of growing grass/roots into the yard/compost. Then add layer 2-3" of grass clipping in between rows and around plants. The clippings block the sun, keep in moisture and keep the crust from forming. As the summer goes on, add more clippings to bare spots.

Bill

Great tip. I was considering mulching, but grass clippings are cheaper and readily available :beerchug:

Do you grow sweet corn? I've hesitated using these products since corn is classified as a grass.