Let the sun help you
Solarizing the soil means letting the sun do the weeding work for you. Till up the soil and water it. Lay a sheet of clear plastic over the area, anchor the edges with stones, and wait four to six weeks: The sun’s heat will “cook” weed seeds. If any weeds are found after you lift the cover, rake them up lightly without disturbing the soil.
Till twice
Till the soil the first time to bring buried weed seeds up to the surface, where they can germinate. Wait two weeks. Till again, this time with the tiller at a shallower setting. The second tilling will chop up the weeds without exposing more seeds.
Be careful with compost
Toss into the pile any weeds that have not yet bloomed; they have no seeds to spread. Add weeds that have set seed only if the pile heats up to 200 degrees F—the temperature needed to kill seeds. Or start a separate compost pile for weeds; use this compost only in deep planting holes, where seeds can’t germinate.
Keep soil covered
Don’t let soil remain bare for any length of time—weeds will move right in. If you regrade or remove plantings, blanket the soil with a cover crop, ground cover, mulch, or grass.
Buy a dandelion digger
It has a sharp, notched end that will pry up stubborn weeds with taproots. You can also buy weeding tools with hoelike blades and short handles; they’re good for slicing weeds off below the surface.
Take it all
Be sure to remove any part of the weed that can regenerate. Wild garlic grass will regrow from little bulblets, plantains have persistent taproots, and quack grass can resprout from its deep, spreading root system.
Want more gardening tips?
This A-Z guide covers everything from acid soil to zucchini, with hints and tips culled from leading horticulturists and accomplished home gardeners from all over the country. Learn more about the Reader’s Digest Quintessential Guide to Gardening and buy the book here.