If ever there was an argument for spontaneous generation, it would have to be the weeds in my garden. Every year, I have all sorts of grass and others come up and grow like crazy, and every year I pull them thinking next year will have to have fewer. No such luck. This year, they are as thick as ever. I`m just behind getting them pulled this year.
The best thing is not to stick to any one method of weeding, dig them up, pull them, hoe them, mulch them and spray them. Every weed responds best to a different method, and that way is less expensive and more fun, which last is the key, the most important thing is to relax and enjoy weeding, think of it as getting back to your hunter gatherer roots and going on a plant hunt.
Given that many of the seeds are wind-blown, and wind is hopelessly nondescriminating, coupled with the definition that a weed is just "any plant that grows easily where you don't want it, it would seem a battle impossible to win.....Unless, you learn to love them. Just think "wildflowers and groundcover!" ? lol
Trying the get ahead of the weeds but Iβm starting to call them plants this year ?
You end up growing some feelings for them since the fight is a never winning one. Lol
You look at one and think: well, you are kind of cute, I could grow things and you will be around and in between. ?
Living about 15 miles from you and having similar problems, the only effective weed treatment I have found is weed killer, organic, using 1 gallon vinegar, 2 cups epsom salt, and 2 cups dawn. Sray it early in the morning on a sunny day and it will knock everything out. The vinegar I use is pickling vinegar, but regular white vinegar will work. The epsom salt makes the iron we have in abundance in these North Texas soils into a more usable organic form. Hope it helps. We should be warm enough to use again by the middle of next week.
Weed seeds have been shown to survive in the soil for up to 30 years according to a study I learned about in college. Do you compost? If so, try putting a layer of newspaper down, overlapping sheets & at least 2 or 3 sheets thick. On top of the paper gently spread a thick layer of compost & plant the seeds into that. Most weed seeds germinate when exposed to light--that's why mulching works. Then once your seeds have sprouted you can pull whatever weeds came up anyway, (should be fewer if your compost layer was thick enough) & mulch around the seedlings with the material of your choice. By the time the seedlings' roots make it down through the compost layer, the newspaper will be soft & rotted enough so it won't impede them. After growing season you may or may not choose to dig your compost layer & crop residue into the soil. Then repeat the same process.
Thanks.
have you ever heard of Petro mat?
I haven't. What can you tell me about it?
@RussRAB When roads are being built, they will put down petro mat, to keep ANYTHING from growing, they first lay down the aggregate base course, mixed with lime, then a layer of petro mat, then a spray of coal tar emulsion, then the new mat of asphalt goes on that, then a top course of rubberized asphalt. Without that petro mat, everything would grow through the new road, that's how the highways stay pretty much weed free.
I've been using plastic tarps to shade out weeds--works wonders in the garden.
Do you mean something like the weed paper that covers the ground? I thought about that, but I plant ebough seeds i thought I would tear too many holes in it to be effective. Any thoughts? Did I understand your meaning?
Getting behind on weeding is something I'm quite good at!
Posted by FrostyJimI always do a little weeding before I go to sleep...
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