[rogertb]

Still really a beginner hence what is probably a 'basic' question ... I have dug over my new plot and have put in some onion sets and broad beans and have been keeping off the very wet soil so as not to compact it, however, there are now appearing a lot of small weeds, little more than an inch or two high. I have hoed them a couple of times but only removed the bigger ones with roots (to remove them all I'd need to be there 10 hours a day) ... I'm wondering if I'm wasting my time .... I'd hoped that 'disturbing' the weeds by hoeing regularly (leaving them on the surface would eventually kill them off or are they just re-rooting themselves, am I being naive ?

Best Roger

[sunshineband]

During hot dry weather, small weeds you hoed off would quickly shrivel and die. In wet weather they take every opportunity to re-root, so you could rake them up and add them to your compost heap.  A small hand rake or three pronged tool makes this job straightforward.

The final weight of onions cropped is greatly reduced if they are surrounded by weeds, so it is good that you are removing these.

[gavinjconway]

Good reply Sunny...

It's good to see that you are concerned at removing the weeds at regular intervals. just keep at them and dont hoe too deep as you will bring up seed closer to the surface and they will sprout and grow..

Grrr - so many people on our plots think that doing one hoe a year is enough. And then complain when we send them a cultivation letter!!

[sunshineband]

Good reply Sunny...

It's good to see that you are concerned at removing the weeds at regular intervals. just keep at them and dont hoe too deep as you will bring up seed closer to the surface and they will sprout and grow..

Grrr - so many people on our plots think that doing one hoe a year is enough. And then complain when we send them a cultivation letter!!

I tries me best 

[ididntdoit]

The weeds are probably re-rooting.

Another view is why are you sowing onion sets and broad beans in such wet soil? By sowing them you will be disturbing the weed seeds which is a problem in wet weather. Won't your onions and brioad beans rot if the soil is very wet.

Hoeing well is an art which takes some time and a sharp hoe to do properly. As I understand it the objective (for small weeds) is to decapitate them at just below soil surface level. That requires the hoe to be at the right angle, at the right level in the soil and with a sharp blade.

This what the RHS say about hoeing "Run a hoe over a bed or between rows to kill most weed seedlings. For maximum effectiveness, choose a dry day with a light wind, so that the seedlings will dry out on the surface of the bed rather than re-rooting into moist soil " which may explain your problem.

Pity they don't have a page about how to use a hoe correctly.

[compostqueen]

Weeds are an inevitability.  If you think about it, if you didn't get weeds it would mean that your plot was dead   

Having a plot either teaches you patience or it teaches you that you need to find another hobby which is not quite so time-consuming.  I used to hate the idea of it but now I find I rather like a bit of mindless weeding.  It's what it's all about for me. Slowing things down, getting down and dirty and in contact with the earth. I'm an old hippy but you get my drift 

[rogertb]

Thank you one and all ... excellent info and advice. Yes compostqueen, I do enjoy, funnily, a little weeding but was concerned about my 'technique' and I sowed the sets and beans a couple of months ago (autumn). These onions and beans are along an edge of the plot so I can hoe from a path and not tramp all over the soil ... I'll try hoeing and raking the debris up into the compost !

[Goosegirl]

A dry day is best (ha-ha) as the soil won't cling on the roots as much. When you have hoed, use the back to gather them up and dispose of them. In this mild weather, some weeds are still growing but they can be nobbled before they flower if they can get to that stage now.

[3759allen]

personally i'm trying to cover the ground between crops, hoping this creates both a weed membrane and retain moisture.

i tried this in the poly tunnel last year and it definitely reduced the weeds and i was amazed how it retained the moisture.

i'm hoping that the time invested in shaping covers to fit the beds and plants, then anchoring will be rewarded many times over during the growing season.

anyway back on topic. as far as repeated hoeing is concerned i'm a bit wary that i will disturb roots if i get too close (i know what i'm like i will get too close). i'm also not a fan of the time consuming job, not saying i'm lazy just rather invest my time and effort in other things.