Preventing weeds in the vegetable garden Q: Are there some things I can do right now that can prevent weed problems with my vegetable garden this summer?  A: Begin by making sure your planting beds are weed-free. After pulling out all existing weeds, rake out the soil and water thoroughly. In a week or so, any weed seeds still present will germinate. These should be relatively easy to hoe out and dispose of. At this point, you can spread compost over the beds and rake it in. Just in case there are any weed seeds in the compost, water and wait another few days so you can scrape those weed seedlings away. If weeds are especially persistent, you can place heavy plastic sheeting over the soil, weigh it down with rocks or bricks, and wait 2 weeks. The sheeting will trap heat and cause any remaining weed seeds to cook until they’re no longer viable. If you’re using drip irrigation on your vegetables, now is a good time to inspect and test for leaks or blockages.…