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Re: Fw: getting ready to plant/Morning Glory

Nick K. Wrote
 > > Could someone please tell what needs to be done to get ready to
plant a
> 
> > > garden?
> > > What is a good fertilizer? How do you control weeds? They are a real
> > > problem?

Nick I'm going to address your weed problem.

You mentioned button weed and Morning Glory/AKA Bindweed.
Those are the dominant/prevelant weeds in my area as well.
Unfortunately they are not only prodigious seed producers but very hardy
perennial
as well.

My advise would be to Use the weed killer RoundUp on all visible weeds
foliage now before they start to set seed this summer when your too busy
to notice they are making seed.They will return where upon you must
spray again .Eventually you will get their number down to a tolerable
number.

Remember morning glory seed can lie dormant for 40+yrs so you must
expect as you work the soil you'll be bring up old seeds not necessarily
the original weeds you've finally killed off.

If your opposed to chemical warfare you must pull and dig all visible
evidence of the weeds that means every bit of root you can possibly
remove as well as the top growth.

DO NOT rototill until you have done the above or you will have
effectively spread the dormant seeds (lying under the soil line)and
chopped/spread the roots around the area which will now re-grow where
ever they land.

Check your soil ph ,if its over a 7 these weeds love a high ph.
To encourage you, where I have composted over the past several years(we
bought this place 7yrs ago and been seriously working soil for
5yrs)their numbers are greatly reduced,due to raising the ph and
muclching heavily every year as well as compost.

A faster solution would be to construct some raised beds(boarded
type)and buy some sterile potting soil and plant.Many people do this and
there is nothing wrong with it if that your choice.Just be sure to kill
the weeds underneath them before construction as these
tenacious#@&$$#weeds have the ability to grow right up through and into
your new beds.Light starvation does not work on these,at least not in my
area but it does help.

Sorry to be so negative in this report but I want to be honest with you
in my own experience.

On the bright side THEY have not prevented me from having incredible
veggies for the past 5 now 6 yrs.So dont let them stop you from doing
your thing.I didnt and I have been selling to restaurants in my area for
going on 5 yrs now.

If you really want to garden you'll make it.Others have more serious
issues/problems to deal with, garden wise,i.e.deer/and other critters
that eat everything you worked so hard to grow.Or foul soil that wont
grow much of anything etc.

Actually weeds can be an indicator of your soils ability to support
garden growth and what minerals and fertility are/arent present in the
soil.(ask you county extention agent about this)So good luck and hope
this didnt scare you off gardening .Trust me the rewards out weigh the
problems.

Connie Hoy
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