Re: Weeds
- Subject: Re: Weeds
- From: J* S*
- Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 07:46:24 -0800 (PST)
Boy, talk about two of your top ten toughies!
In small, planted gardens, I, too, have had a heck of
a time getting rid of such persistent weeds. The only
thing that even came close to working was an equal
persistence on my part. Who was it that said, "For
every action, there is an equal and OPPOSITE
reaction"?
One thing that worked VERY well for me when I had a
lof of property in Wisconsin (no -- it's NOT
Mediterranean; but it did have more than it's share of
monstrous weeds) was a three-step one-year process
called BOP-BOP-Rye. Note that it works only on BARE
ground; it wouldn't work at all in a planted bed, as
you'll see.
First step: in spring, sow a mix of buckwheat, oats,
and (field) peas; equal parts by weight, 1 pound per
100 square feet (10 square metres). Water well.
Second step: in mid-summer, mow nearly mature plants
and repeat sowing.
Third step: in fall, sow winter rye for cover.
Next spring, scalp and plant your desired plants.
This worked for bindweed (yep, in Wisconsin, too) and
quackgrass (Wisconsin's version of Bermuda or Kikuyu
or Veldt grasses).
The items that need translation:
1. The timing would be considerably different for Med
climates, as you can imagine.
2. This doesn't work for planted beds, as already
noted. Does one need to dig up everything and replant
NEXT year?
3. I don't think buckwheat, oats, and field peas
would grow in Med climes except in winter. What to do
in summer when the Bermuda grass is at its most
ferocious?
So, what would be a suitable substitute for the plants
and the process timing? And would some kind of living
mulch between exitsing plants do the job?
As I remember reading many moons ago, bindweed has a
seed that can lay dormant in the soil for 10-40 years!
So, even though you think you've dug out EVERY piece
of fleshy root, one little seed will find its way to
the surface and start the process all over again.
That reminds me -- not a good idea to constantly till
one's soil or DIG weeds out, hence disturbing the soil
and bringing up dormant seeds.
Joe
--- K1MIZE@aol.com wrote:
> All:
>
> I'm looking for suggestions to rid my garden of two
> particularly persistent
> weeds: Bindweed, (Convolvulus arvensis?), and
> Bermuda Grass, (Cynodon
> dactylon?). I've tried both thorough digging and
> repeated spraying with
> Glyphosate.
=====
Joe Seals
Santa Maria, California --
where the weather is always perfect
and my garden always has something blooming
and birds galore
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