If you don't start with the proper plants, you won't have a successful garden. Mulch your garden. Mulching is needed to maintain moisture, reduce weeds, prevent erosion, prevent root damage from cultivation, and to keep clean the fruit of such crops as tomatoes, squash and strawberries. Fluctuation in watering can cause the fruits to crack or develop blossom-end rot. It is not caused by a pathogen, but occurs when the moisture varies and there is too little calcium in the soil.
Weeds compete with the vegetables for nutrients and can harbor insects and disease.
In some cases, allowing a few weeds in the garden can help because they provide food and protection for some beneficial insects. Mulch can be inorganic, such as black plastic or silver-coated plastic. It also can be organic, such as compost, straw, old hay, leaves, saw dust, paper and wood shavings. Use micro or trickle irrigation to water. Short dry periods can reduce the yield and quality of the vegetables.