How Do I Get Rid of These Weeds?

Linda
by Linda
What are these weeds and how do I get rid of them? They are covering my veggie beds! They start out so tiny and they are everywhere. I am gone all day during the week and only have the weekends to garden. By then, they are everywhere! Help!
  8 answers
  • Bryan's Workshop Bryan's Workshop on Jun 18, 2016
    Hello! It looks like purslane or chickweed. If your garden is dry it's probably purslane. If it's usually wet it's probably chickweed. I have a problem with weeds too! Herbicides usually work great, but you still need to check and spot pull weeds. Research "pre-emergent" herbicides. Mulch might also help, because weeds need sunlight to grow. Good luck!
  • Linda Linda on Jun 18, 2016
    Thanks so much! That was really helpful!
  • Barnegat Pollyanna Barnegat Pollyanna on Jun 18, 2016
    I had this too - then I started spreading grass clippings as mulch and it cut the problem back dramatically - didn't eliminate them though. There is a product called Preen that keeps seeds from germinating - follow directions carefully though. Your plants must be well established before using this product.
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    • Barnegat Pollyanna Barnegat Pollyanna on Jun 23, 2016
      Yes, you can use it in your veggie garden - make sure your plants have not been recently planted and are established first. ALWAYS read the directions for anything you add to a veggie garden. Do you mulch? I found that mulching with grass clippings was the best weed deterrent and added nutrients to the soil. Don't overdue it though. Just a couple of inches all around. Cuts back on the need to water as much too.
  • Carolyn Fielder Carolyn Fielder on Jun 19, 2016
    The low growing weed is purslane. I am not sure of the second but I believe it is a form of pigweed, possibly spurge.
  • Linda Linda on Jun 20, 2016
    I think they are all the same type of plant. Just one is more mature than the others. I have found that unless I pull just a few at a time, which is taking forever, they hold on to a lot of my good soil leaving a hole in my beds. Thank you so much for your help in my post. I truly appreciate it!
  • Mary Coakley Mary Coakley on Jun 22, 2016
    It is difficult to get rid of small weeds like these,I do not like to use weedkiller so I cover them with black plastic refuse bags it will take a while for this to work,put stones or something heavy on the plastic as you need to keep the air out,only other option is to use a hoe to take them out by the roots good luck
  • Rebecca B Rebecca B on Jun 22, 2016
    This is purslane. weed to some, a meal for others. Purslane can be eaten and is good in soups and salads. Excellent source of vitamins. I grow it in my garden on purpose since I found it was delicious. Here is more info. http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/purslane.html
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    • Linda Linda on Jun 23, 2016
      Thank you Rebecca B
  • Ljgordon Ljgordon on Jun 23, 2016
    I use landscape cloth that can be found in the garden center of any big box store. (Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot) You will need the pins, rocks, bricks to hold it in place. I plant the same thing each year so I have cut circles in the center of cloth 16", 18", 24" apart depending the recommendation of how far apart plants should be planted and use them over and over again. For seed rows I wait until the plants start to show then put the cloth down between the rows. I cut it lenghwise as wide as is recommended between plants. (18", 24", 36") It kills anything it covers by depriving it of light.