Keeping Weeds Down In My Squash Garden

Question

Hi I live in a very dry and sunny climate. The soil is somewhat sandy. I am growing squash plants and they are growing fast! There is also a ton of weeds and invasive grass growing along side my plants and around them and under the Squash vines and I want to know : is it better to try to pull the weeds out or maybe just sever them at the base just above the root with my garden shears? The purpose is to stop the weeds and grass from hogging all of the water that I put on my garden… So far the weeds are taller than the quick growing squash plants. Some of the weeds look like invasive grass that tends to grow sideways. The squash plants don’t seem to care that there’s lots of weeds around them and I have a good source of water so the weeds are really thickening all around my plants. I read an article somewhere that if I just pull the weeds it will disturb the soil and there will just be more weeds …so the alternative is to sever the weeds at the beginning of their stalk down close to the ground… which method do you think is better?

Answer 1

Severing the plant will worsen your issue. They will compensate by growing bigger, and consuming more. Pulling them, now, can help, but it can hurt the roots around your plants, too, if the weeds are too well established.

I would pull as much as possible, though. Over the off season, solarize the soil. This will help kill off weeds and pests in the area, which will give you a clean slate for the following season.

This article will help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/projects/how-to-solarize-garden-beds-to-eliminate-garden-pests-in-the-soil.htm