preventing weeds using a greenhouse?

[ppc]

We have a large vegetable garden.

weeds eventually grow throughout the garden, and of course need to be removed, which is a tedious job.

I don't know where the weeds come from, but they only grow in the garden, and they grow fast.

If we built a greenhouse on half of the garden, will the weeds from outside of the garden spread easily into the garden? would the weeding job be easier? let's assume that once it is planted, the tools are only used inside the greenhouse and there is little walking between the greenhouse and the open areas.

in other words, will a screen protect the weeds from spreading? I assume it is airborn somehow.

dave

[JoeSpareBedroom]

What tools and methods do you use NOW for removing weeds? And, when was the vegetable garden created?

[dr-solo]

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[simy1]

which kind of weeds? dandelion? that is airborne. some variety of grass will be stopped by a mowing strip, since they propagate by rhizome. A number of them in my site are probably footborne (oxalis, the chickweeds). And by foot I mean both mine and those of the many animals that use my garden (birds and racoons for example). Clover typically comes in with manure. Of course, if you have weeds in the paths, you will never win the battle. In half my garden, I have crushed limestone paths which are 100% weed free. Finally, in my case all purslane gets eaten by humans, spring dandelions also, and late dandelions by my daughter's guinea pigs. And don't forget the chickens. If you can let the chickens into the fallow garden for two weeks a year, they will clean up the seeds, the bugs, the shoots, the grubs, the moles, the voles, anything alive.

you are better off mulching. Even small plants like carrots can be mulched with some care (use grass clippings so as not to damage the plants). Wood chips really stop weeds but not all vegetables tolerate them. You have different mulching strategies for different veggies. I use cardboard (or newspapers), chips, leaves and grass clippings.

[Oxymel of Squill]

I get weeds coming up through an inch of gravel in the greenhouse, so I think I'd go for mulching as a cheaper and probably more effective option. I've often thought of extending the greenhouse across the garden to give protection from the wretched fenland winds.

[Kay Lancaster]

There are about 75 years worth of viable weed seed in any outdoor soil that's been cultivated. A greenhouse will give you a different, more heat tolerant selection of weeds compared to just the garden soil. You might want to google the combination of the phrase "seed bank" with the word weed.

Unless you're growing in sterilized soil, you're going to be weeding. Clean mulch is your friend.

Kay

[simy1]

Best no-till advertisement I have ever seen.

[raycruzer]

[jj]

Worth mentioning to you ----- for years we purchased something called Bandini from a "shall remain unnamed" hardware store. It worked extremely well as a year-round fertilizer supplement, soil conditioner, root protection from heat and moisture retention. I can no longer get Bandini in the Phoenix area, perhaps it is not produced. I have purchased 20-30 bags of the generic substitute twice. I have NEVER had a weed problem, but now I can't stay ahead of two weeds I have never seen before. In the future, I will purchase a 'trial' bag of new products, spread it in a tray and attempt to sprout whatever might be in it thereby allowing it to show itself.