THE EASIEST WAY TO CREATE A WEED-FREE VEGETABLE GARDEN!

[@americanhottopics7373]

Im 52 years old and have worked my entire live to make my gardening experience more enjoyable. I must say you make it a WHOLE LOT easier. Thanks for your videos

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Thanks for the support!

[@ShannonAlexis96]

I've watched probably a hundred videos today on this topic, but this was the most helpful. Thanks!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Glad it was helpful!

[@DebraGallina]

Thank you! I love that you explain the process quickly and to the point, while leaving no questions in my mind. Will begin today.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

You are so welcome!

[@GretchensVeganBakery]

!! Thank you for clarifying the difference between black & clear! I was getting mixed information & this is just perfect thanks!

[@noodles_GA]

Been buying from Hoss for a few years now. Great people to work with and I will always choose to support GA businesses over others. Love my state

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Thank you so much, great to hear

[@rogerlikes]

Thanks for making the video, I'm going to give it a try in my garden and also recommend we give it a try at our community garden. This would be great when gardeners leave the garden and their plot is empty for a long period of time. Currently when gardeners leave the community garden, other gardeners have to invest time and maintaining their plots until a new owner arrives this would be a great solution when possible

[@tallcedars2310]

Tarps work great for gardens protected from wind. It did a great job of getting rid of quack grass for us and the worms loved it. Mice also liked it and chewed holes all over it. Sadly worms would crawl out the holes and thousands would drown on top of the tarp. The good thing about using tarps is you don't have to use them every year, just enough to clear a patch to start and at times keep the weeds from taking over. Well worth the money!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Great tips Tall Cedars

[@peterhume3474]

All alone.... and he films it, explains it all clearly, does it....ALL ALONE... What a man !

[@cpope09]

I love following along with you and trying these techniques in my own garden. I’m new to all of this and you guys really make it easy to follow along in real-time. Keep up the great work.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@Justbeck1]

Thank you! Great info, you have an uncomplicated way of explaining things. Makes it seem so much easier and doable than what I’ve heard from others!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Thanks for watching!

[@DrJohn493]

Used this technique off and on and never seemed to get the long range desired results. Now I know why; I was tarping (about 2 weeks), tilling and planting. Won't make that mistake again! Thanks for setting me straight.

[@Eli-qr9hc]

The most difficult thing is finding landscape fabric over Bermuda grass that keeps the weeds out, but most importantly allows water to seep in

[@learningnkids4276]

Thank you so much for details. I am looking for the solutions and trying to understand more to prepare better with less work for next year season. And your video answers the most important question I have. Thanks again sir.

[@karenwagner4089]

How do you keep your grass from creeping into your garden after you plant?

[@bradwarren8833]

Do you have a video showing what the soil looks like as you remove the tarp for the first time?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Seems like we have shown that before. Have no idea which video it is though.

[@sujimartens6757]

Thank u for this video! We have cedar beds and have grass walkways but the torpedo grass w rhizomes are coming up from under the beds and it’s costing me so much time and money having to completely dig the beds up! Did u have that problem and did the gravel work? Any other ideas? Thank u

[@gardeningwithhoss]

We are not having that issue

[@toddshepard3592]

Wonder if it would work by leaving the tarp on and running drip tape under it as usual then using a small torch cut round hole and plant directly in those.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

You'd want to use landscape fabric in that case, not the tarp. If you're going to burn holes in it, better to go with the cheaper fabric.

[@petraholtze2154]

I have used the black tarp since mid Febr. 2022 on a lawn that grew very poorly to start a vegetable garden. it looks like the topsoil is only 11/2" before small rocks and clay appears. To amend the soil, do you recommend to add topsoil and compost or just compost? I want to grow sweet potatoes and pumpkins and gourds, and some sunflowers and a later in the year a winter garden. What do you suggest?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Just a good compost

[@debbiethompson9853]

QUESTION-Does it have to be black? Will brown or green work?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

No, any color will work.

[@kubotajordan9502]

Hey travis great video! What is the effects if you burn it off? will it kill weeds seeds? I know it wont kill the roots.Kinda been out of pocket for a while trying to get reeved back up. The wild flower seeds I bought from y'all or great did some small beds lots of blooms . Thanks for all you do for the gardening community!!!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Burning would kill weed seeds on the surface.

[@DannyCollins-l6m]

Love the video - when you add the compost, 2-3" do you work it in to the soil or just top dress with it before you put the tarp back down?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Both!

[@mef4156]

Hi, I'm planning a new garden in Houston, TX. I'm keeping the large shrubs. I want to kill off the weeds before planting the new plants. 1. Do I pull up the juniper ground cover, till, and cover with tarp? It can't be cut with a mower. 2. Can I cut the tarp around the base of the shrubs currently in the garden? 3. Then continue the tarp maintenance process until spring, when I plant. 4. After planting, is there a process that doesn't required weeding? I want zero maintenance. I am planning an Asian Jasmin as a ground cover. It works great in my backyard. We spray it with half strength weed killer. Doesn't effect the ground cover but kills the weeds. I am interested if you know of any other ground cover that allows the same process but looks better. We do water 2x a week. Thank you!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

This might work for you- growhoss.com/products/lazy-garden-kit?_pos=1&_fid=98bb7ce08&_ss=c&variant=45579398709558

[@thomasmccrea8149]

Summer Garden ...... Johnsongrass takes over and ruins it every year. I work 2 jobs and I have a small hay farm so it’s the busiest time for me. This year I let a younger couple lay out a nice 1 acre market garden. They laid out rows of black plastic. Despite that they got busy with other projects and their garden turned into a Johnsongrass forest too. I’ve rotated a few pigs into my garden area before to eliminate the rhizomes , I’ve plowed , mowed and used round up. I’m wondering if using a Wick Bar weeding system with Round Up would help? Or maybe tarping off some land for a whole year ?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Try the tarp and till technique we mentioned in the video.

[@charlescourtney4412]

If you terminate, immediately till, and then tarp a cover crop, will it break down faster? I have a 5 foot tall, very thick crop of sorghum sudangrass that I plan to terminate this week in anticipation of an early October planting of my fall crops (Florida, Zone 9a/8b boundary). I am concerned that all that cover crop residue may not break down fast enough to be ready in time. I will terminate it with a flail mower, and I am thinking of immediately tilling it in, tarping for two weeks, then water, till again, and tarp for another two weeks. Is this reasonable or excessive? Will the soil be ready for planting in just a month's time.

[@innerviews897]

hurts glyphosate Nice

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Yes, it will break down faster if you till it before tarping. We wanted to preserve the nitrogen-fixation from the peas here, hence why we didn't till.

[@charlescourtney4412]

@@gardeningwithhoss OK and thanks for the quick response -- I have lots of Hoss seeds for cool weather veggies to go in that plot.

[@senzaization]

Always good man👍🏽

[@rawcredentials]

Still have to dig up the dirt to pull the weed roots even after it’s all dead ?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

we use a tiller to disturb the roots and then recover.

[@rawcredentials]

@@gardeningwithhosswhat do you mean by disturb the roots? The roots still have to be removed ?

[@jenniferwong6050]

Thank you for the links. I will be ordering a tarp. I plan on putting it down now and leaving it til spring. My question is: can I put manure down now under the tarp or would it be better to wait til I pull the tarp off?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

If you're using manure, it's going to work much better if you till it into the soil. But you can certainly do it ahead of time.

[@waynezacharias6489]

Hi! I live in Oregon and I'm overrun with clover and bull thistle, do you have any suggestions, I would certainly appreciate it, thank you! Please help me!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

A tarp would help, but you would need to apply it for 4-6 months followed by a cover crop that would suppress the weeds. Never let plot sit idle. Always have something planted, a tarp in place or cover crop.

[@vcmay626]

This is a great system. Where do I get my black tarps?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

hosstools.com/product-category/garden-tools/silage-tarps/

[@Msasada100]

Thank you! This video is very informative! This may be a stupid question - can the tarp catch on fire in the summer in 100F+ heat? We are getting ready to sell our home over the summer and was planning on covering our vegetable garden with the tarp so that the weeds won't take over. Just want to make sure that it can be unattended for months after we vacate the home.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

no, it will not catch on fire.

[@ShannonAlexis96]

I'm watching your video again and just noticed you have a shop, so I will buy a tarp from you! I am going to use your "Tarp and Till" method to kill my lawn so I can plant a pollinator garden in the fall. Would you reccomend adding any nitrogen rich material to the grass before I cover it? I was going to put blood meal but I'm not sure if it's necessary at this point.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Wait till all the grass is killed, then add any additional material to it. You can get it ready to plant and cover it back up. Then day of planting, uncover and you are ready to go.

[@ShannonAlexis96]

@@gardeningwithhoss Thank you :)

[@hacksaw413]

Was trying to find the answers if this would work for my raised beds?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

yes, it would

[@hacksaw413]

@@gardeningwithhoss thanks. Wasn't sure what it would do to the microorganisms

[@KatherineRoseArt]

Is there any reason you cant just use blue tarps? I'm trying out using some old blue tarps myself. I cut holes in it and gonna plant melons

[@gardeningwithhoss]

No

[@jody4138]

Don't know if you still monitor this site or not, but here goes... Just saw this video and it's November. I'm wanting to kill off some bermuda/weeds for gardening beginning next year. Will a tarp work over the winter, and would clear or black make a difference? I will need to cultivate the soil (ex. lawn) as well as add materials as I'm in a clay area. Should I just wait until spring, or is time a wastin'? Please give me a plan of when and how. Thank you so much! Enjoyed your info. Blessings to you.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

You can tarp for 4 weeks, let the area underneath die off. Then cultivate the soil adding as much organic matter as possible. Apply the tarp again and leave it on until you are ready to plant.

[@4RTigers]

Any concerns about pesticides in the gin trash that you mentioned?? Thanks for your videos.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Been using it all year and haven't had any issues. They get this stuff hot enough to kill anything that was sprayed on the cotton.

[@jasonmaddickes7412]

Let's goooo U Goat thanks

[@emmalewis3510]

I’m in Illinois, what can I plant outside this fall that will come up in the spring. I’m going to try garlic but is there anything else?

[@brettwhiteMusicFan]

Illinois also here, I have seen onions done also. Don't forget strawberries

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Garlic is probably your best bet. Not sure of anything else that can tolerate the snow.

[@spoonstir8675]

Mustard greens will work I'm in northern Illinois and they come up every year from going to seed

[@joshuab738]

What type of grass do you have around your beds. I am having a hard time picking a grass in the south that won't invade my beds (e.g., Bermuda) and will still not die in the summer (e.g., Tall Fescue). Right now, Bermuda is my biggest weed!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

We have centipede. It's easier to maintain a border than with Bermuda.

[@lorithornhill649]

. My sunburst started out gang busters then the leaves started yellowing. I thought maybe water or a fertilizer issue. Fed and watched the water better and then said time to pull out. And what did I find root knot nematodes. Now what what do I do? In a raised bed. They need to die.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

If they're diseased, just pull them and get them away from the garden.

[@lorithornhill649]

@@gardeningwithhoss thank you I did. They went right to the trash can. I was hoping you might have a cocktail to clean the soil and kill the pests. I understand they over winter unless extremely cold. Thank you I will continue to research.

[@eroggero]

I was going to be starting a raised bed garden soon nothing too big, and have used the tarp from Lowe’s, the blue one. I have scalped the area with the lawnmower first, Have had the tarp down for three weeks now. So I’m guessing that I should probably go out and dig up the area a little bit turn it over and re tarp it to give me the best chance of less weeds, we sure get a lot of them down here in Southwest Florida LOL

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Yes, that's definitely what you should do. Keep re-stirring the weed seeds and retarping.

[@charitysmith5245]

When will yal restock fall seeds like the english peas?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

We have English Peas in stock. We just added a new variety called Sugar Prince which you can find here: hosstools.com/product/sugar-prince-pea/

[@charitysmith5245]

@@gardeningwithhoss alright, alright, ALRIGHT!!! 👍👍👍👍

[@ManStandsAloneIsAStrongMan]

How well does this work to kill grass area for a garden?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Very well, will take about 6-8 weeks.

[@lawanacroskey7994]

Will the black tarp work on dollar weed ?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

yes

[@joewilson1457]

What happened to the wind every time I pull plastic or a tarp I feel like a kite tail good job

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Haha. Best not to try to do it on a windy day.

[@DV-ol7vt]

How long will these tarps last? I’ve used tarps before and only got one season before they fell apart.

[@michaelripperger5674]

You need ones that are UV protected. The ones you get from box stores are not that type

[@gardeningwithhoss]

These will last a very long time. I've got a couple I've had for 3 years and they still feel good as new.

[@teresabrooks9887]

Thanks for useful info

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Welcome

[@stanleykania7184]

He'll yeah man

[@jimfulkerson2679]

Will blue tarps work ?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

yes

[@MrBigjoecincy]

These silage tarp videos are great but you don't have anything about the after effects. Maybe a video where you uncover a plot and show us what it looks like.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Yes, that is a great idea.

[@jhutto3814]

How long does it take to kill the weed seed?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

2 to 3 weeks during hot summer months to kill the existing weeds.

[@jhutto3814]

@@gardeningwithhoss Great, thanks.

[@dwighthebert4052]

How can you be sure that the gin trash has not be sprayed with a persistent herbicide?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

We've been growing with it all year and haven't noticed any issues. Also, when we go to get a load, you can see the steam and heat coming off the compost pile. That's a sign that it has been cooked properly.

[@jeandudley7841]

I compost rotted and scraps of veggies etc. Can i spread this under the tarp with cow manure after the tarp has been on for about two or three weeks. Then till and put tarp back on? I live in 9b zone..thanks for your reply.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

You sure could!

[@tatermorgan6559]

Does this kill nutsege?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

One reason nutsedge is so difficult to get rid of is because its tubers can lie dormant in the soil for several months, reappearing long after you thought you've completely tackled the weed problem. Harness the power of the sun's heat to break the tubers out of dormancy and eradicate the nutsedge. The extreme temperature changes created by the soil solarization process effectively stimulate dormant nutsedge tubers into sprouting to life, and the sun's heat then kills the weed's young, sensitive foliage when it breaks the soil surface. During the hottest summer months of July and August, water the targeted area with enough moisture to moisten the soil surface to a depth of approximately 6 inches. Then, simply place a clear, plastic tarp or sheet over the soil surface, and weight down the edges with rocks or bricks. Leave this tarp in place for four to six weeks, during which the sun's ultraviolet rays heat the soil to a temperature of up to 125 degrees Fahrenheit, killing the existing weeds.

[@treesawlimbnahbirch6788]

Would this method work to kill off Thistle?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

yes, but may need to leave on longer for Thistle

[@ZyonSigil]

so since no one else asked im gonna can you use a blue tarp for this?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

You could as long as it is UV-resistant. Some of the cheap blue tarps don't hold well in the sun over time.

[@ZyonSigil]

@@gardeningwithhoss good advice thanks very much

[@TurnAndSplat3888]

What about Johnson Grass? I have found no what to kill it. Just keep pulling rhizomes

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Try the tarp and till technique we mentioned in the video. It has worked well for us with many deep rooted weeds.

[@ThirdTimeAroundRanch]

Did you say gin trash compost? Where do you get your compost, I need a ton of it.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

We get it from a local cotton gin down the road. $18 a ton.

[@jennifern2805]

Check your local grocery store and coffee shop.

[@wj4ckhamradio341]

Are these shipped UPS or freight? Thanks.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Shipped UPS Ground.

[@wj4ckhamradio341]

@@gardeningwithhoss awesome thanks

[@cam204101]

How long will the occultation keep weeds out of this spot?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

You can never "keep weeds out" completely. Birds poop weed seeds and weed seeds will blow into the plot from the outside environment. But it will drastically reduce our weed pressure.

[@jjime1175]

A black tarp with heat more than a clear tarp, So what is the soil temperature under the tarp? Have you ever tested the temperature? Does it get too hot that it will kill the beneficial fungi and bacteria in the soil?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

It doesn't get too hot underneath there. A majority of the heat is reflected and not absorbed.

[@cory7260]

WEEDS DO EXIST IN MY GARDEN.., I'M IN BROOKLYN NYC.I DONT HAVE SPECIFIC WEEDS THEIR JUST WEEDS & I WANT TO B RID OF EM.I CURRENTLY HAVE THE BLACK MESH FABRIC ON GROUND... IT'S BEEN ALMOST....2YRS. EXACTLY WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN REMOVING FABRIC???? SHOULD I SPREAD THE HOME MADE COMPOST & RECOVER IT WITH FABRIC & PLANT WITHIN COMPOST WHEN READY TO UNVAIL...OR WHAT...I DON'T WANT WEED'S GROWING IN GARDEN. I HAVE A RAISED GARDEN BY THE WAY???!!!?........PLS RESPOND EITHER U OR ANYONE WITH TRUE... FACTUAL ANSWERS!?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

We get ours ready to plant by tilling, adding organic matter and then cover it back up until time to plant.

[@cory7260]

OK.THANKS.

[@bobflickinger1615]

Doesn't kill the microbes?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Nah. It doesn't get that hot underneath there. The heat is reflected.

[@jamessteffens8337]

What size is your cover, what kind of material, whare did you get it? Thanks jim I'm new at this will be starting in the spring.

[@daniellebradley2728]

Check out the website in the upper left-hand corner 😉

[@gardeningwithhoss]

You can get silage tarp for your garden here: hosstools.com/product-category/garden-tools-collection/silage-tarps/

[@Kiingnothiing]

Is the tarp just 6mil plastic?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Yes, black 6 mil plastic.

[@jennifern2805]

You want hdpe or High Density Polyethylene. It's food grade and stronger than most plastic, for superior handling of extreme temperatures.

[@small-timegarden]

Well maybe you can put the compost on it now and then in time, put starts, instead of waiting a longer time + retarping? 💭

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Once everything dies back a little so we can evenly spread the compost, we'll go ahead and do it.

[@calvinehlert4756]

one would think that the black tarp would generate more heat than the clear!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

The black tarp reflects heat. So the tarp itself gets hot, but the soil underneath doesn't as much. The clear tarp creates a greenhouse effect -- or at least that's the science behind it.

[@innerviews897]

No peas to harvest?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

They haven't flowered yet. But we never intended on letting them make pods.

[@marcusgarvey6240]

Looks like you destroyed a whole crop of peas. Was it worth it when you could have fertilized them and gotten an earlier harvest even with the few weeds???

[@nomadismileseeker6611]

I’ve got a lot of rag weed and dewberry 😡

[@amandagraham8869]

Why haven't you been other videos

[@gardeningwithhoss]

He left the company in April 2021

[@amandagraham8869]

@@gardeningwithhoss sorry to hear

[@Cladman3001]

Doesn't really work well. The weeds on top die and when the black plastic is remove they regrow and to me they grow back more quickly and heavier.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Sounds like you have a high "weed seed bank." The till and tarp (repeat) method talked about in the video would work very well for you.

[@ihopeugrow]

Big McConaughey fan?

[@gardeningwithhoss]

maybe ...

[@ryank1536]

Good video, you gave us the middle finger at at 6 min...

[@gardeningwithhoss]

I tend to use it more than most folks cause it's the longest finger. Shortest distance to accomplish the goal.

[@rebeccacory6569]

Did you learn not to smart off to your wife? Smacked you good. Lol. JK. I need to get me a tarp.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Haha. That damage was actually done by a pecan limb whilst I was trying to hoist it upon my burn pile.