When the soil becomes hard over time, loosen it again with a hoe. Loose soil encourages plant growth and eases the taking on of water. It is important to only work the surface of the soil in order to avoid damage to the roots of shrubs and trees. It is also recommended to work the soil walking backwards so that the freshly turned soil is not pressed firm again. The GARDENA combisystem Garden Hoe is optimally suited, with a working width of 7 cm, for gentle hoeing and weeding between shrubs and trees. A regularly loosened soil is good for the plants and encourages growth.
The soil is easier to work with when it is moist. The optimal time for hoeing is approximately one day after a rain shower. With light rain showers, you could start hoeing and weeding a few hours later. Avoid working in full sunlight as the soil will dry out faster.
If the soil is regularly loosened, the weeds can be removed when they are still small. Hence, arduous weeding can be avoided which would be necessary if weeds are allowed to develop and spread undisturbed over a longer period of time. Even though weeds will become weak through regular hoeing of the sprouts and can then easily be removed. If weeds grow in this area with deep roots, then it would be best to work with a weeding trowel to easily remove the unwanted plants.
To keep the unwanted weeds from quickly growing back and to better keep the soil moist, the hoed soil should be cover in a 5 to 10 cm thick layer of mulching. Various organic materials can serve for mulching: compost, grass cuttings, bark mulch, straw or leaves.