I don't have a lot of weeds because I planted thickly and mulched heavily. But the garden is over grown. Plus I have let volunteer Sunflower grow all over my garden. I did not pull them all 'cuz I wanted to keep the goldfinches happy. Now it is a jungle especially in the backyard. Worst of all, with the heavy rain this month, we are swamped with mosquitoes.

Yesterday, I tried to clean it up some. I had attached a sheet of Bounce on my back, sprayed myself with Citronella solution and sprayed my pants with bug repellent containing Deet. But those blood suckers still drove me indoors. I'll try again today keeping my fingers crossed.

I mulched too and that has helped keep the weeds down, but that nasty thatch-stuff has been the bane of my existence this summer. And when it rains, it pops up, tall and healthy, within just a couple of days. Because it's been a cool summer, I've been able to keep up with them better than other years. I'm particuarly trying to get them out before they go to seed. With mulching and constant weeding (way back from early Spring), I'm working my way towards (hopefully) fewer weeds next year.

Linda

Yes. In fact, just this morning as I stood and looked at the tomatoes I actually said - out loud - "Okay, you win."

I worked a lot of hours last week but, um, thought I had everything under such good control that I figured they'd be all right on their own for one measly week. I now feel quite sure they'd simply been biding their time and just waiting to make a break for it.

The tomatoes that I swear were planted 4' apart have now joined forces and formed a solid thicket. I do not know how this could've happened in a single week. I also do not understand how I could not've noticed it! Thank God the over-enthusiastic, somewhat-unhinged Chadwick's Cherries were planted all by their lonesome 30' feet away, as I can't even imagine what that would've morphed into had they gotten in with the others.

On the other hand all the peppers, while oddly tall, have been very polite in their habits. The 2nd-crop zucchini and cucumbers, unfortunately, are showing signs of mutiny already. I think the tomatoes must be egging them on.

And then there's the chamomile. It's everywhere, and that's no exaggeration. While I've always had it reseed, never before has it attempted a total takeover! And I can't bring myself to just yank it, so what do I do? Why, let it grow, of course, insuring that next year every single bed will be filled with thousands of chamomile seedlings come late February/early March. And yes, my new hobby is digging it up and putting it elsewhere (around the mailbox, birdbath, under trees, along the road...you get the idea). I believe I may have to move.

Btw, would anyone care for some nice German chamomile seeds? Or plants, if you're close enough? Or maybe just a lovely, big slab of seedlings? Instant jungle!

Oh yes, I mulch and plant thick too, but the weeds seem to seek in somewhere.
I only put down 4 inches of wood chips, maybe I should have gone 6 inches.
Granted, my gardens look better than some others I have seen and with working 50 hours a week and having almost a total of an acre in plantings scattered around the buildings, fall like spring can be a frenzy.