Topic: Weeds weeds and more weeds

[Digeroo]

I dug over some of my front garden before the winter and now it is completely covered in weed seedlings.  I thought that with all the cold weather they would have given up for a while yet.  There are thousands and thousands of them.

[manicscousers]

we have hundreds of coriander seedlings that came in the home made compost and they didn't die in the intense cold, either  ;D

[grotbag]

dontcha just love em   :D

[Ninnyscrops.]

Join the club and get those knees oiled up then Digeroo  ;D

Ninny

[Ian Pearson]

At the risk of repeating.... Digging has downsides. You have exposed the next batch of weed seeds, and it will happen every time you dig.
The alternative is to hoe off weeds before they seed. Do this a few times, and no seeds will be left in the top inch of soil. Bingo, no more weeds.

[Vinlander]

we have hundreds of coriander seedlings that came in the home made compost and they didn't die in the intense cold, either  ;D

Yeah, quite recently I read you could grow coriander over winter and it's true - a bit of protection and it's fine - the stuff on my warm SE facing front wall does even better in a normal winter - probably because of the air movement - not so good this year.

As to actual weed seedlings - if you have time (a big if) prepare the ground including the drills, then let the weeds grow an inch high before covering them with black plastic or cardboard etc. until they die (lifting the mulch to look actually helps - it triggers more germination without giving the weeds enough light to survive).

When you remove it you can sow into undisturbed drills - cover the seeds with used growbag compost to avoid exposing more weed seeds to the light.

You will never get them all but it makes seedy soil behave more like normal well-managed soil.

Cheers.