Page 38 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • April 9, 2014 Simple ways to limit weed growth in the garden Weed growth in a garden cannot only prove unsightly, but also ultimately harm- ful to plants and vegetables. When weeds appear in a garden, they have already begun to steal nutrients and water from surrounding plants, and if allowed to grow tall, they can also block sunlight from reaching the plants. Unfortunately, weeds can be resilient, and there is no way to guarantee they won’t grow. But gardeners can take several steps to limit the growth of weeds so the plants in their gardens can grow strong. Work the soil regularly. When weed roots are removed from the soil, weeds die. However, just because you hoed or tilled the soil last month does not mean new weeds won’t grow in and start rob- bing your plants of essential nutrients and minerals this month. The garden should be cultivated regularly, and you should pay particular attention to the soil after the garden has been watered. If weeds are allowed to go to seed, the garden can quickly be overwhelmed by them, as young weeds tend to grow in quickly and a little water might be all they need to sprout. So make a point to routinely cultivate the soil with a hoe or tiller, being careful when working on soil around growing plants. Lay down black plastic. Some garden- ers may want to avoid laying black plastic down in their gardens for fear that such a weed deterrent robs the garden of its natural beauty. While that might be true, the black plastic also robs many weeds of their ability to grow. Some weeds may be especially stubborn and grow under the plastic, forcing their way through the holes cut into the plastic for the plants. How- ever, laying black plastic covering over the garden before it is planted is often an effective way to limit weed growth. Lay mulch in vegetable gardens. Mulch can serve multiple benefits in a garden. Many people find mulch aesthetically appealing, but mulch also serves more practical purposes. Mulch made of organic materials, such as bark chips or grass clip- pings, is often too heavy for weeds to push through, making it difficult, if not impos- sible, for weeds to sprout. Mulch also con- serves moisture in the soil, strengthening plant roots as a result. Stronger roots can lead to a healthier garden. Cut down on plants’ elbow room. The more space between plants, the more room weeds have to grow. Decreasing the space between plants can limit weed growth, but spacing plants too close together can make it difficult for vegetables to grow. Spacing recommendations will likely be included on packaging when buying seeds, but reducing those recommenda- tions by an inch or two may allow the plants to grow in strong while limiting weed growth at the same time. Garden weeds can put plants in jeop- ardy and rob gardens of their beauty. But there are a handful of ways gardeners can limit weed growth without harming their plants.