How to Use Preen Before Planting a Vegetable Garden
Preen is the commercial name of a weed preventive made by the Lebanon Seaboard Corporation and designed to prevent new weeds from sprouting in your vegetable garden. Preen may be applied to the ground just prior to planting your vegetables or vegetable seeds. Preen will not taint any produce that you grow. Do not get Preen on your skin, breath its dust or get it in your eyes. Do not contaminate fresh water streams or lakes as Preen kills a wide variety of fish and other aquatic life.
Use your trowel to dig up and remove as many weeds as possible from the plot of ground where you intend to plant your vegetable garden. Preen does not kill existing weeds.
- Preen is the commercial name of a weed preventive made by the Lebanon Seaboard Corporation and designed to prevent new weeds from sprouting in your vegetable garden.
Rake the soil with a hard steel rake, breaking up as much of the surface of the intended garden as possible. Remove any roots, vegetative matter, rocks and other debris as possible. Use the rake to level the garden as well.
Wearing gloves, eye protection and a breathing mask, spread Preen granules on the surface of the raked soil at the rate of 1 pound for every 640 square feet if your soil is heavy clay, or 1 pound per 960 square feet for medium loamy soils, or 1 pound per 1,280 square feet for light, sandy soils.
Water the granules into the soil, sprinkling approximately 1/2 inch of water on your garden.
Plant your vegetables or vegetable seeds as per normal 24 or more hours after applying Preen to the soil. Do not plant flower seeds in soil containing Preen as they may not germinate. Do not rake or disturb the soil any more than necessary for planting your vegetables after Preen has been applied to the soil.
- Rake the soil with a hard steel rake, breaking up as much of the surface of the intended garden as possible.
- Plant your vegetables or vegetable seeds as per normal 24 or more hours after applying Preen to the soil.
Preen can be reapplied 9 weeks after the first application if weeds begin to show up. When applying Preen to a garden containing already-growing vegetables do not get Preen granules on the leaves of the vegetables or directly around their roots. Do not apply Preen if your vegetables are wet.
Tip
Preen does not kill existing weeds, it only prevents new weeds from sprouting.
Warning
Preen can cause an allergic reaction in certain individuals so it is advised not to let it come in contact with bare skin or to breath its dust.
Read label precautions.
Wash your hands thoroughly before eating if you have been handling Preen.
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References
Tips
- Preen does not kill existing weeds, it only prevents new weeds from sprouting.
Warnings
- Preen can cause an allergic reaction in certain individuals so it is advised not to let it come in contact with bare skin or to breath its dust.
- Read label precautions.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before eating if you have been handling Preen.
Writer Bio
Larry Parr has been a full-time professional freelance writer for more than 30 years. For 25 years he wrote cartoons for television, everything from "Smurfs" to "Spider-Man." Today Parr train dogs and write articles on a variety of topics for websites worldwide.
