What's the magic trick to dealing with weeds if you want to garden 'organically' _and_ are trying to go 'no-till' ? That is, without
spending all your time manually pulling them? And with limited
space I can't solarize without losing a year.
What's the magic trick to dealing with weeds if you want to garden 'organically' _and_ are trying to go 'no-till' ? That is, without
spending all your time manually pulling them? And with limited
space I can't solarize without losing a year.
Thanks for any tips!
-F
On 3/4/2021 9:45 PM, Frank Miles wrote:
What's the magic trick to dealing with weeds if you want to garden
'organically' _and_ are trying to go 'no-till' ? That is, without
spending all your time manually pulling them? And with limited
space I can't solarize without losing a year.
Thanks for any tips!
-F
The secret is MULCH . Cardboard or multiple layers of newspaper will
stop the weeds from reaching the sunlight . Heavy layers of straw will
do the same , plus will enrich and lighten your soil as it decomposes .
See if you can buy or borrow (your library may have it) a copy of the
Ruth Stout gardening book . Here's a link : >https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/ruth-stouts-system-zmaz04fmzsel
You can also use a barrier fabric or plastic sheeting, but that
contributes nothing to your soil . You might also want to check out >non-chemical pest controls - bacillus thurigensis , diatomaceous earth
, and beneficial nematodes will all be a part of my arsenal this year .
FWIW , I use only heirloom varieties of seed and that makes
pest and weed control more work . But worth it IMO in the end for stuff
that breeds true and can be relied on to produce the same results year
after year . The only seeds I've bought this year was a package of
yellow squash , and only because my saved seed didn't germinate . It was
old ...
On Thu, 4 Mar 2021 22:39:04 -0600, Snag <Snag_one@msn.com> wrote:
On 3/4/2021 9:45 PM, Frank Miles wrote:
What's the magic trick to dealing with weeds if you want to garden
'organically' _and_ are trying to go 'no-till' ? That is, without
spending all your time manually pulling them? And with limited
space I can't solarize without losing a year.
Thanks for any tips!
-F
The secret is MULCH . Cardboard or multiple layers of newspaper will
stop the weeds from reaching the sunlight . Heavy layers of straw will
do the same , plus will enrich and lighten your soil as it decomposes .
See if you can buy or borrow (your library may have it) a copy of the
Ruth Stout gardening book . Here's a link :
https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/ruth-stouts-system-zmaz04fmzsel
You can also use a barrier fabric or plastic sheeting, but that
contributes nothing to your soil . You might also want to check out
non-chemical pest controls - bacillus thurigensis , diatomaceous earth
, and beneficial nematodes will all be a part of my arsenal this year .
FWIW , I use only heirloom varieties of seed and that makes
pest and weed control more work . But worth it IMO in the end for stuff
that breeds true and can be relied on to produce the same results year
after year . The only seeds I've bought this year was a package of
yellow squash , and only because my saved seed didn't germinate . It was
old ...
I first thought that the glue and ink and residual chemicals of
the paper-making paper-recycling process would render corrugated
cardboard " not suitably organic " but a google search seems
to prove me wrong ... < ? > Happy mulching !
John T.
On 3/5/2021 7:21 AM, hubops@ccanoemail.ca wrote:
On Thu, 4 Mar 2021 22:39:04 -0600, Snag <Snag_one@msn.com> wrote:
On 3/4/2021 9:45 PM, Frank Miles wrote:
What's the magic trick to dealing with weeds if you want to garden
'organically' _and_ are trying to go 'no-till' ? That is, without
spending all your time manually pulling them? And with limited
space I can't solarize without losing a year.
Thanks for any tips!
-F
The secret is MULCH . Cardboard or multiple layers of newspaper will
stop the weeds from reaching the sunlight . Heavy layers of straw will
do the same , plus will enrich and lighten your soil as it decomposes .
See if you can buy or borrow (your library may have it) a copy of the
Ruth Stout gardening book . Here's a link :
https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/ruth-stouts-system-zmaz04fmzsel
You can also use a barrier fabric or plastic sheeting, but that
contributes nothing to your soil . You might also want to check out
non-chemical pest controls - bacillus thurigensis , diatomaceous earth
, and beneficial nematodes will all be a part of my arsenal this year .
FWIW , I use only heirloom varieties of seed and that makes
pest and weed control more work . But worth it IMO in the end for stuff
that breeds true and can be relied on to produce the same results year
after year . The only seeds I've bought this year was a package of
yellow squash , and only because my saved seed didn't germinate . It was >>> old ...
I first thought that the glue and ink and residual chemicals of
the paper-making paper-recycling process would render corrugated
cardboard " not suitably organic " but a google search seems
to prove me wrong ... < ? > Happy mulching !
John T.
I use cages made of concrete reinforcing wire (about 24"diameter and
5 feet tall) for my tomatoes . I lay of pieces of cardboard on the
ground around the plants stem before I place the cages . Viola (yeah
yeah) no weeds inside the cage to pull . I generally use either wheat or
rice straw between cages .
I use cages made of concrete reinforcing wire (about 24"diameter and
5 feet tall) for my tomatoes . I lay of pieces of cardboard on the
ground around the plants stem before I place the cages . Viola (yeah
yeah) no weeds inside the cage to pull . I generally use either wheat or
rice straw between cages .
On Fri, 5 Mar 2021 13:39:46 -0600, Snag <Snag_one@msn.com> wrote:
On 3/5/2021 7:21 AM, hubops@ccanoemail.ca wrote:
On Thu, 4 Mar 2021 22:39:04 -0600, Snag <Snag_one@msn.com> wrote:
On 3/4/2021 9:45 PM, Frank Miles wrote:
What's the magic trick to dealing with weeds if you want to garden
'organically' _and_ are trying to go 'no-till' ? That is, without
spending all your time manually pulling them? And with limited
space I can't solarize without losing a year.
Thanks for any tips!
-F
The secret is MULCH . Cardboard or multiple layers of newspaper will
stop the weeds from reaching the sunlight . Heavy layers of straw will >>>> do the same , plus will enrich and lighten your soil as it decomposes . >>>> See if you can buy or borrow (your library may have it) a copy of the
Ruth Stout gardening book . Here's a link :
https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/ruth-stouts-system-zmaz04fmzsel
You can also use a barrier fabric or plastic sheeting, but that
contributes nothing to your soil . You might also want to check out
non-chemical pest controls - bacillus thurigensis , diatomaceous earth >>>> , and beneficial nematodes will all be a part of my arsenal this year . >>>> FWIW , I use only heirloom varieties of seed and that makes
pest and weed control more work . But worth it IMO in the end for stuff >>>> that breeds true and can be relied on to produce the same results year >>>> after year . The only seeds I've bought this year was a package of
yellow squash , and only because my saved seed didn't germinate . It was >>>> old ...
I first thought that the glue and ink and residual chemicals of
the paper-making paper-recycling process would render corrugated
cardboard " not suitably organic " but a google search seems
to prove me wrong ... < ? > Happy mulching !
John T.
I use cages made of concrete reinforcing wire (about 24"diameter and
5 feet tall) for my tomatoes . I lay of pieces of cardboard on the
ground around the plants stem before I place the cages . Viola (yeah
yeah) no weeds inside the cage to pull . I generally use either wheat or
rice straw between cages .
Watering ? ... doesn't the cardboard shed the water somewhat ?
John T.
On 3/4/2021 7:45 PM, Frank Miles wrote:
What's the magic trick to dealing with weeds if you want to garden
'organically' _and_ are trying to go 'no-till' ? That is, without
spending all your time manually pulling them? And with limited
space I can't solarize without losing a year.
I just pull them as soon as I see them, and never let them go to seed.
If you are starting from lawn, use a sod cutter to remove all the grass,
and you can end up with a fairly weed free bed.
On 3/4/2021 9:45 PM, Frank Miles wrote:
What's the magic trick to dealing with weeds if you want to garden
'organically' _and_ are trying to go 'no-till' ? That is, without
spending all your time manually pulling them? And with limited
space I can't solarize without losing a year.
Thanks for any tips!
-F
The secret is MULCH . Cardboard or multiple layers of newspaper will
stop the weeds from reaching the sunlight . Heavy layers of straw will
do the same , plus will enrich and lighten your soil as it decomposes .
See if you can buy or borrow (your library may have it) a copy of the
Ruth Stout gardening book . Here's a link : https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/ruth-stouts-system-zmaz04fmzsel
You can also use a barrier fabric or plastic sheeting, but that contributes nothing to your soil . You might also want to check out non-chemical pest controls - bacillus thurigensis , diatomaceous earth
, and beneficial nematodes will all be a part of my arsenal this year .
FWIW , I use only heirloom varieties of seed and that makes
pest and weed control more work . But worth it IMO in the end for stuff
that breeds true and can be relied on to produce the same results year
after year . The only seeds I've bought this year was a package of
yellow squash , and only because my saved seed didn't germinate . It was
old ...
What's the magic trick to dealing with weeds if you want to garden 'organically' _and_ are trying to go 'no-till' ? That is, without
spending all your time manually pulling them? And with limited
space I can't solarize without losing a year.
Thanks for any tips!
-F
On 3/4/2021 7:45 PM, Frank Miles wrote:
What's the magic trick to dealing with weeds if you want to garden
'organically' _and_ are trying to go 'no-till' ? That is, without
spending all your time manually pulling them? And with limited
space I can't solarize without losing a year.
I just pull them as soon as I see them, and never let them go to seed.
If you are starting from lawn, use a sod cutter to remove all the grass,
and you can end up with a fairly weed free bed.
I first thought that the glue and ink and residual chemicals of
the paper-making paper-recycling process would render corrugated
cardboard " not suitably organic " but a google search seems
to prove me wrong ... < ? > Happy mulching !
I _try_ to do that, but with ~1000 sq ft of garden it's easy to miss the small ones. By now (30+ years) the selection pressure has led to the smallest, fastest, most prolific weeds :(
I _try_ to do that, but with ~1000 sq ft of garden it's easy to miss the small ones. By now (30+ years) the selection pressure has led to the smallest, fastest, most prolific weeds :(
The cardboard sounds like a good it for me to try this year. I do use similar cages made out of the reinforcing wire.
What's the magic trick to dealing with weeds if you want to garden >'organically' _and_ are trying to go 'no-till' ?mulch, and lots of it.
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