If you plant carrots every spring and by June the garden bed turns into a jungle, it's not a matter of laziness or bad soil. It's just that the weeds come up first while you wait to sow. But this race can be won if you start before the seeding.
The first step is to warm the soil
As soon as the snow has melted, cover the bed with black film or agrofibre for 7-10 days. Under a dark cover, the earth will warm up faster and weed seeds will germinate. Then simply loosen the top layer. You'll clear out the first wave of weeds before you plant your crops.
Second trick – tight fit
Do not leave spaces between plants. Carrots, radishes, lettuce, and spinach grow well if their neighbors almost touch their leaves. Dense greenery shades the soil, and new weeds simply don't have enough light to sprout.
The third technique is mulch immediately after germination
As soon as your sprouts appear, mulch the rows with a thin layer of grass clippings, straw or compost. Do not overdo it; a thick layer will suffocate the tender shoots. But even such a layer will stop most weeds and retain moisture.
Thanks to these techniques, you spend time sowing rather than weeding, and by May you are harvesting instead of fighting the grass.
