Gasing using weed killer on a garden- am I way off?

[polo1665]

I used Round Up to prepare my garden area before tilling it last fall. Since then the only chemicals that have touched the garden are Sevin dust and Liquid Fence. I use no mulch, but do use some plastic sheeting and landscaping cloth around the cucumbers, squash, and melon plants. I used to be really bad about weeding regularly, but this year I made a point of keeping up with it. I find if you go out a couple times a week for an hour or so you can keep up with it pretty well depending on the size of your garden (mine is 50' x 90'). If you are not near enough to be able to spend the time I would recommend that you cover it in some fashion (mulch, landscape cloth, etc.) The only area I really don't try and keep with up as well is the sweet corn. That's a long row to hoe, so to speak.


Mark

 

[Charlesaf3]

I was just thinking out loud.....there's some good food-for-thought ideas...

Bontai Joe, yes, I'm actually quite conservative but don't like the idea of putting chemicals on my ground, either......I know it's safe now, but so was smoking not so long ago...and, they used to cut legs and arms off to save you!


For a smaller family garden that you use a small rototiller, I really like the black plastic idea.....

I agree with this. And I've got a well. I figure everything I put down I'll be drinking in 10 years. And that one day they'll decide roundup is actually really bad for you.

I have sections by the woods where I'll eventually put down grass which I've kept as bare dirt for years. Rototilling and running the tractor over them seems to stop anything from growing.

And once again, weeds make fine fertilizer.

 

[jinman]

This year we made about 3 yards of cedar mulch and put it around many of our plants. What did not get mulch, was tilled often. We have extremely few weeds and almost none anywhere the mulch is used. The cedar mulch can be tilled in and keep the soil loose while it decomposes very slowly and won't sap the soil of nitrogen like many wood chips will as they decompose. Like EastTexFrank, I find using natural mulch or hay is great at keeping the soil moist and loose. I think the cedar also repels some insects, at least it seems so. I have enough cedars to keep me in mulch for years to come. Even my wife likes feeding cedar into the chipper and playing Fargo.

 

[EastTexFrank]

I have heard of problem with mice with the hay mulch which then leads to a problem with snakes and then with a problem of who digs the potatoes.

EastTexFrank, do you use it over root crops and if so have you harvested any? Just wondering if the hay harbored insects?

I have used the black plastic and it works very well even in the hot South. Just use a pitch fork to poke holes in it before unfolding so water can soak through. The heat it generates seems to help control insects for me. Be sure to take it up before tilling (Experience).

I've not noticed any obvious problem with mice but I had a few low growing tomatoes that had been nibbled on the bottom so it could be. They're going to be around anyway, I see them all the time when mowing the pasture. Haven't seen any snakes but I'm usually prepared for them. As to who does the picking and digging .... no problem there, that's me.

The potatoes did great under the hay. I put some down between rows of onions, carrots, beets and rutabagas and it kept the weeding to a minimum. We've been living off the garden for months so things have been producing pretty well but most of the cooler weather crops are finished. As I pick, dig or clear stuff out I usually throw down some more hay to cover the bare spots.

I live in Texas and bugs are a problem no matter what, although, it was certainly no worse that usual. If anything it was a little better. I have sprayed insecticide (once) and broadcast granules (once), mainly to keep ants under control but again, no worse that normal.

All in all, I'm very pleased with the results but this is only the first year so we'll reserve judgment for a little while.

I tried the black plastic and landscape cloth for a few years and on the whole it worked pretty well. I still had to cover it with mulch of some sort, usually pine bark or cedar so using the hay just cuts out one more step. The other thing with black plastic, it was difficult to judge just how much water the soil was actually getting. With the hay, you just pull it back, grab a handful of dirt and give it a squeeze, throw it back down and cover it up again.

As you can probably tell, I've been on a 25 year quest for the minimum work, maximum benefit garden and, darn it, I think I'm getting close. I just hope I live another 25 years so I can finish the project.

 

[jnelson]

I have planted large gardens for ten years now and have refined it a bit every year. Here is what I've learned.

My preparation begins in the fall. First we remove any remaining plants and then I use my lawn tractor and vacuum to collect and chop leaves from our yard which I then spread across the garden. I then till the entire garden turning the leaves into the soil. After that I plant winter rye to hold the soil and provide green manure in the spring.

In the spring I first mow the winter rye. I then plan where the rows will go and till only the rows, leaving the mowed rye as paths between the rows. I then plant the rows. Last I mulch around the plants.

Through the summer I simply mow the paths between rows which makes a nice place to walk without getting mud all over after watering or rain. Even weeds that come up in the path are easy to mow and keep under control. Whatever weeds attempt to come up through the mulch around the plants are very easy to pull.

In the fall after harvest, repeat.

The most important thing I have learned through the years is to take care of the soil. Adding leaves, mulch, and the winter rye builds the soil to where there is little need for fertilizing, though I will sometimes spread lime or compost. The better your soil is the less you will have problems with disease and bugs and the better your harvest will be. HINT: I always spread crushed oyster shell around our tomato plants - they love it.

Jeff