Weedless Gardening (Revised and Expanded Edition‪)‬

Garden with an organic system that’s good for plants and good for people.

Showing gardeners how to minimize weed problems is the main theme of Weedless Gardening, but this highly successful practical guide by author and avid gardener Lee Reich goes far beyond that. From no-till soil management to avoiding compaction to maintaining an organic, weed-free cover to the ins and outs of drip irrigation, Reich explains how each part of his weedless gardening system integrates with the others, and how they bring benefits beyond merely minimizing weeds. Readers will find instructions for making or buying compost, information on the uses and characteristics of cover crops, and individual planting guides for over thirty-five crops.

Having worked as an agricultural researcher for the USDA and Cornell University and dirtied his hands growing fruits and vegetables for more than fifty years, Lee Reich is an expert in the field. First published in 2000, Weedless Gardening has sold more than 80,000 copies. This fully updated and revised edition includes new information and techniques, including:A more personal approach, emphasizing why and how Reich applies his weedless gardening system in his own gardens.How the weedless gardening method improves soil carbon capture.Newer techniques in weed control such as tarping, flame weeding, and targeted use of organically acceptable herbicides, alongside what’s on the horizon: UV or IR light, hot foam, and more.Recognition of the benefits of weeds (yes, there are some!) and when and how to allow desirable weeds to be part of your garden.

“A thoroughly practical, easy-to-follow guide to good gardening. Lee Reich makes it sound simple, and if you follow his methods and philosophy, it is.” —Dora Galitzki, author of The Gardener’s Essential Companion