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.

About The Author

Lee Reich is the author of 10 gardening books, including the highly successful Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden and Landscaping with Fruit. He and his family have been gardening on their home site for 40 years, creating what Lee calls a farmden, a garden/farm hybrid on which he grows fruits, nuts, vegetables, and some flowers. Besides providing an almost year-round supply of fruits and vegetables, the farmden has provided a testing ground for innovative techniques in soil care, pruning, and growing fruits and vegetables. It is also an educational site for workshops and for training. 

Lee has frequently delivered lectures on various horticultural topics. Venues have included everything from garden clubs to organic farming conferences to USDA and botanical garden symposia. 

He dove into gardening fifty-five years ago, with one foot firmly in academia, earning graduate degrees in soil science and horticulture, and working in research with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and then Cornell University.  

Since leaving academia, Lee has earned his livelihood by writing, consulting, and lecturing. Undergraduate and some graduate study in chemistry provided him with a firm foundation in the sciences even before he began graduate studies in agriculture. Lee describes himself as a glutton for learning about all things agricultural. Philosophically, his writing and gardening reflect his passions and his appreciation for natural systems and for science. 

Lee writes a weekly blog on a range of topics and up until a couple of years ago wrote a biweekly, syndicated column for the Associated Press. His blog posts are linked to his Facebook page and Instagram. His freelance articles for the New York Times appeared over the course of almost 20 years.