Question
My strawberry patch is a mess of weeds. Every year, I think I have removed so many, and they just keep coming up between the berries. Dandelions by far are the worst, and you know that trying to get that whole taproot out at least once every week seems like it would destroy the berries. I do mulch with composted pine bark, but the weeds are worse among the strawberries than anywhere else in that garden. Can I ever hope to win this battle, or should I just give this up?
Answer
Goose ’em!! Geese have long been used to help control weeds. They work well with strawberries because they dislike the taste of the plant but love most weeds. Just fence in the bed and add geese. If this seems like a fowl idea, you could try a spot weed killer between the plants (organics are available). For deep-rooted plants like dandelions that are growing right up through a strawberry plant, you may have to dig up the plant, remove the dandelion, and then reset the plant. Perhaps denser mulch like pine needles may be of help. —Gardening experts George and Becky Lohmiller, Hancock, New Hampshire
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