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As Extraordinary
as Everyone Else
Picture of smlsig
posted
We have had a small vegetable garden for the past few years and have slowly been conditioning the soil by composting etc.

We are not going to be planting a garden this Spring for a variety of reasons and are looking for advise on how to ensure we won’t be returning to a 3 foot tall garden of weeds later this summer.
I suggested something like Preen but my wife, who is a hazardous waste disposal expert, has specifically forbade the use of any man-made herbicides. She wants to keep it as organic as possible and I’m OK with that.

So what are the Sig Forum gardeners using for situations like this?
We will probably be planting a fall garden if that is important.

Thanks.


------------------
Eddie

Our Founding Fathers were men who understood that the right thing is not necessarily the written thing. -kkina
 
Posts: 6486 | Location: In transit | Registered: February 19, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Crusty old
curmudgeon
Picture of Jimbo54
posted Hide Post
Just till it periodically like you do when the garden is planted and growing. It's about all you can do without using herbicides.

Jim


________________________

"If you can't be a good example, then you'll have to be a horrible warning" -Catherine Aird
 
Posts: 9791 | Location: The right side of Washington State | Registered: September 14, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Get my pies
outta the oven!

Picture of PASig
posted Hide Post
Thick layer of mulch?


 
Posts: 34976 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: November 12, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Three Generations
of Service
Picture of PHPaul
posted Hide Post
Layer of heavy black plastic weighted down with concrete block or bricks.




Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.
 
Posts: 15592 | Location: Downeast Maine | Registered: March 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nullus Anxietas
Picture of ensigmatic
posted Hide Post
There's ground cloth you can buy that's especially made for what you want. Get any existing weeds out, lay out the cloth, over-lapping it. Hold down with staples you can obtain in any garden center. Maybe bricks or heavy stones, here and there, in case the wind really kicks up.

Advantage is, when you go to plant, you can just cut holes where you want to plant and plant. Water and fertilizer go right through. The only weeds you'll have to worry about are any that manage to sneak in right next to the plants.

My wife uses that stuff, now, during growing season. Beats hand-weeding or using things like Preen all season long.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
 
Posts: 26009 | Location: S.E. Michigan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
As Extraordinary
as Everyone Else
Picture of smlsig
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Jimbo54:
Just till it periodically like you do when the garden is planted and growing. It's about all you can do without using herbicides.

Jim


The problem is that we will not be around to till it. Sorry if I didn’t make that clearer.

Are there any organic herbicides?


------------------
Eddie

Our Founding Fathers were men who understood that the right thing is not necessarily the written thing. -kkina
 
Posts: 6486 | Location: In transit | Registered: February 19, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of Leemur
posted Hide Post
Definitely cover it with thick light blocking plastic. Even if you use something totally natural to inhibit weed growth it’ll have at least some effect on the work you’ve done to enrich the soil.
 
Posts: 13864 | Location: Shenandoah Valley, VA | Registered: October 16, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
As Extraordinary
as Everyone Else
Picture of smlsig
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by ensigmatic:
There's ground cloth you can buy that's especially made for what you want. Get any existing weeds out, lay out the cloth, over-lapping it. Hold down with staples you can obtain in any garden center. Maybe bricks or heavy stones, here and there, in case the wind really kicks up.

Advantage is, when you go to plant, you can just cut holes where you want to plant and plant. Water and fertilizer go right through. The only weeds you'll have to worry about are any that manage to sneak in right next to the plants.

My wife uses that stuff, now, during growing season. Beats hand-weeding or using things like Preen all season long.


This sounds like a real possibility. I had thought of just regular black plastic but my wife was wondering if the heat generated would be an issue for the worms etc...(don’t laugh!).


------------------
Eddie

Our Founding Fathers were men who understood that the right thing is not necessarily the written thing. -kkina
 
Posts: 6486 | Location: In transit | Registered: February 19, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Clear plastic will give you an added bonus in that it will actually kill off a lot of weed seeds if you seal it up good and tight so it gets nice and hot. It will also kill your microbes though too. Those can be reintroduced with a compost tea.

We tried the landscape fabric once, and the problem we ran into is that sunlight deteriorated it to the point of it falling apart if touched or the wind flapped it. Apparently it's designed for under mulch, not exposed.




 
Posts: 1518 | Location: Ypsilanti, MI | Registered: August 03, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of Leemur
posted Hide Post
smlsig, we cover ours with thick plastic in the winter. When I pull a section up there are worms the size of dragons under there.
 
Posts: 13864 | Location: Shenandoah Valley, VA | Registered: October 16, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Drill Here, Drill Now
Picture of tatortodd
posted Hide Post
Never tried it but I’ve been reading about 20% vinegar as a non-selective (ie kills everything) herbicide that doesn’t leave a residue. Probably have to tinker with soil ph when you want to resume gardening.

Personally, I’d just cover it, weight down the cover, and resume gardening when you’re ready



Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
 
Posts: 23811 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
As Extraordinary
as Everyone Else
Picture of smlsig
posted Hide Post
In thinking about laying down a permeable fabric of some sort I remembered what we used in new construction for our driveway entrances.
It is a heavy woven geo textile fabric and I know it has lasted for several months and survived numerous heavy dump and concrete trucks running over it...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074...1_t3_B079Y869N5?th=1


------------------
Eddie

Our Founding Fathers were men who understood that the right thing is not necessarily the written thing. -kkina
 
Posts: 6486 | Location: In transit | Registered: February 19, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nullus Anxietas
Picture of ensigmatic
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by ubelongoutside:
We tried the landscape fabric once, and the problem we ran into is that sunlight deteriorated it to the point of it falling apart if touched or the wind flapped it.

Doesn't happen if you use the heavier-duty, commercial grade stuff. The stuff my wife put down: We simply pull whatever's left in the ground from the growing season (I help), roll it all up to one side, and throw a few bricks on it. Next spring: She just rolls it out and staples it back down.

I just double-checked with her. Heavy-duty black landscape fabric is her recommendation.

For the record: She earned Advanced Master Gardener certification from a program run by the state Agricultural Extension and the agricultural school at MSU.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
 
Posts: 26009 | Location: S.E. Michigan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
I need to look into something like this for the freakin blackberry bramble nonesense behind my house. Just chopping obviously isnt the answer but I read about the vinegar mix and might try that. Maybe in conjunction with doing a ground cover then starting from scratch.
 
Posts: 3123 | Location: Pnw | Registered: March 21, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Avoiding
slam fires
Picture of 45 Cal
posted Hide Post
For weed control its a garden hoe and belting from a bread manufacture that the belt are worn or torn in the middles of rows.
Organic is the way to go,
Don't waste your money on neem oils,smothers the plant leaves but kills the bugs.
 
Posts: 22422 | Location: Georgia | Registered: February 19, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Avoiding
slam fires
Picture of 45 Cal
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Anubismp:
I need to look into something like this for the freakin blackberry bramble nonesense behind my house. Just chopping obviously isnt the answer but I read about the vinegar mix and might try that. Maybe in conjunction with doing a ground cover then starting from scratch.

you might try some 30%+ vinegar from amazon.
works somewhat but grasses will come back from seed in the soil.
 
Posts: 22422 | Location: Georgia | Registered: February 19, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Till heavily, probably multiple times to slow weeds down, then add thick cardboard & bricks/blocks if you're only doing it for the year. Water will drain through & it will mostly break down.

Might be time to order some ammo to get heavy duty boxes Wink
 
Posts: 3340 | Location: IN | Registered: January 12, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ammoholic
Picture of Skins2881
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by smlsig:
quote:
Originally posted by ensigmatic:
There's ground cloth you can buy that's especially made for what you want. Get any existing weeds out, lay out the cloth, over-lapping it. Hold down with staples you can obtain in any garden center. Maybe bricks or heavy stones, here and there, in case the wind really kicks up.

Advantage is, when you go to plant, you can just cut holes where you want to plant and plant. Water and fertilizer go right through. The only weeds you'll have to worry about are any that manage to sneak in right next to the plants.

My wife uses that stuff, now, during growing season. Beats hand-weeding or using things like Preen all season long.


This sounds like a real possibility. I had thought of just regular black plastic but my wife was wondering if the heat generated would be an issue for the worms etc...(don’t laugh!).


Worms are mobile, they will move it need be. The heat generated is actually a cure for some kinds of fungi that attacks cucumbers and other plants.



Jesse

Sic Semper Tyrannis
 
Posts: 21251 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hillbilly Wannabe
posted Hide Post
Plant a cover crop of clover. It will look nice and add some nitrogen to the soil . Till it under when you want to garden again.
 
Posts: 2557 | Location: Georgia | Registered: July 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
I have used the black plastic trick, it works very well.
 
Posts: 1854 | Location: Spokane, WA | Registered: June 23, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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