I must have the most weed infested soil on earth. I have been pulling weeds for days and today out of curiosity decided to count how many weeds I pulled from around my typical tomato plant. I counted 368 weed seedlings within a 14 inch radius, and the total might be more as I have been spot weeding before. I have 29 plants so that means I will have to pull around 10,672 weeds before I am done with all the tomato plants. After I pull them I am covering the ground beneath the tomato plants with shredded cedar for two reasons, to keep the weeds from growing back and to keep the tomatoes and leaves off my clay soil as I don't stake my plants.

I think all the weed seeds originally came from some supposedly "weed free" compost or steer manure I amended the soil with. We are having the worst drought in recorded history this year in Southern California so no weeds sprout where I don't water, but the instant any water hits the soil like around my tomato plants I get an explosion of weeds that completely blanket the soil surface.

I think the only way to really get rid of the weed seeds that by now are rototilled into the top six inches of my soil just waiting the opportunity to sprout would be to have my soil fumigated. Anyone know about what that would cost for a 40 by 50 foot area?