On Jul 5, 1:55 pm, "Eigenvector" wrote:
On average, how much time would you say you devote per week pulling weeds
from the garden? I say per week, rather than per day because I used to pull
weeds on the farm - but I don't live on a farm anymore and I'm certainly not
going to devote 10 hours a day doing it.

My experiences pulling weeds in the fields made me completely apathetic
about them. However recently I've got it in my head that I might be able to
keep the garden clean without resorting to chemical warfare - but it just
doesn't seem to help. Dandilions, Catsear, Rye, and two others that I'm
actually gonna post an ID on here shortly are overrunning my garden even if
I do pull weeds for an hour a day.

How do you keep the weeds down? Pulling them up, covering them over with
mulch, weapons of mass destruction, or do you just not worry about it
anymore?

Side question:

What is the best method for controlling rye grass growing up inside a clump
of something like rosemary or lavender?

I almost never 'pull' weeds. I'll spend a few minutes with a hoe, or a
claw, or a metal-tined rake. I'm a little philosophical about it,
mainly since my knees aren't what they used to be (if they ever were!)
and I refuse to spray herbicide or pesticide anywhere on my property.
But in my three little vegetable beds, I try to eliminate any
competition (and they don't really leave- they go straight to the
composters).

Chris