Landscape fabric is very heavy. It is available at Home Depot and Lowe's in my area. Landscape fabric doesn't work by itself, just as lighter weight suppressing fabrics don't. Once in place it is covered with thick mulch, pebbles, etc. and when properly used can suppress most of the weeds. Some will always come through, but it's easier to deal with some of them than with all of them.
Much better Lar, thanks.
What does one do when the weed seed germinates and puts down roots _through_ the fabric?
What happens after a few years as soil builds up on top of the fabric?
Hi Charlie,
If you buy your food from the grocery store I wouldn't worry too much about the pittance of Roundup any of us might use.
Typical notill farming for corn, soybeans and now they have Roundup ready wheat seed too. Spray whole field with Roundup and either plant at the same time or wait a few days. After your desired crop is on the way up and the weeds are taking hold spray whole field with Roundup again. The seed/crop has been genetically engineered so it is virtually immune to Roundup.
There are hundreds of acres with in easy walking distance from me that have been douched with Roundup for many years now.
I've seen/read studies showing that low levels of Glyphosate (Roundup's active ingredient) can be detected in just about everything we eat/buy made from corn, soybeans and wheat.
Use it judicially, but I wouldn't lose any sleep over what we might do with it. Worry about the thousands and thousands of acres douched with it by agriculture...
The best weed suppressing "fabric" is newsprint. About 20 sheets of newspaper covered with pebbles or bark will smother weeds and by the time the paper decomposes they won't come back up. Of course the paper lasts longer if you can keep the area fairly dry but even with water they last a surprosingly long time. Cheaper too. I have used this method with success even over the dreaded Bermuda Grass!
Both vinegar and boiling water work, but neither will discrimate between plants you want and weeds. Just keep them out of the root zone of the PP. Emilie
Point taken, but protest I must. Seems a shame to even give one penny to the bastids.
I try and buy only food that has a chance of being non-contamintated, but of course, this a near impossiblilty.
I'm smack-effing-dab in the middle of the saturate zone, gazillions of acres in every direction, Rockies to the Apallachians, Texas to Canada and beyond. Northwestern Missouri.
Yep, and I remember DDT as well and the widespread use and misuse of that poison.
I do worry about the widespread use and give the middle finger salute to Monsanto et al. whenever possible. ;-)
That is PRECISELY what happened!
So I think I'll go with OP's suggestion about multiple layers of newsprint, IF I ever undertake a weed suppression program again!
Persephone
Same experience with end gutter rollup hose. Ends up falling off the vinyl gutter. No matter how tight the clamp. Sure don't need a rain barrel this year where I'm at, deluge. Dave
Any long term studies by an independent group on cattle, swine, goats, chickens eating such tainted feed or photosynthetic organism with glysophate, including their offspring, their grand offspring etc.? If financed by Monsanto, the results are mute. Dave
Both boiling water and vinegar are indiscriminate. Dynamite and long term wood burning is too, but more effective. Fabric, any kind, if blocking seed activity below, will accumulate potential seed above it. Move the plant somewhere else. Toss some rocks out there. When the weeds come up, burn em' down with a propane torch. Dave
MOOT
MOOT - A term used in the inns of court, signifying the exercise of arguing imaginary cases, which young barristers and students used to perform at certain times, the better to be enabled by this practice to defend their clients' cases. A moot question is one which has not been decided. So what did you really mean? That they are not valid? Or?
P.
(Sorry...I can't help myself...)
Oh, lawdy, lawd...send me some...even a few drops...!
P.
I have a hard time just finding stuff that I know I have read about before. Most of the studies that seem to have any merit come from over the pond in European Countries. There rules are much stricter than here.
We (humans) will probably be the ultimate test in the USA. Big Ag and Pharmaceuticals have our government leaders/enforcers in their back pocket...
Hi Charlie,
As you probably already know, DDT is still in widespread use throughout the rest of the World. It did and still does work really, really well for what it was intended (shrug). It was way, way overused and abused.
I'm guilty of using Glyphosate. In some places it seems to be the lesser of evils. I try to avoid it in places that I plan on eating crops from.
Which do you suppose is more harmful. Spraying a bit of Glyphosate a few times a summer or running a noisy/smelly exhaust spewing weed-whacker every week. I hate those machines (and leave blowers) and only use them when I absolutely have to. Much rather do the trimming and weeding all by hand, but a bit of Glyphosate here and there can be a big help. It is about the only thing that I have found that can take out Grapevines, Poison Ivy and Autumn Olives short of a small nuclear device :)
I guess if we live long enough we will find out eventually one way or the other just how bad it is.
What a terrifying story! Thank heavens disaster was averted -- narrowly!
To apply hot water to weeds in cracks, or wherever in garden:
I fill the electric kettle and plug it into the outside garage outlet (or if you don't have one, use an extension cord). That way you are dealing with a smaller quantity of hot water, under control. Rather refill a few times if treating a larger area, than risk tragedy per above cautionary tale.
Persephone
I think we already know, Leon. ;-)
I just hate adding to the load that my grandkids will suffer. Scares the bejeebers outta me and nearly makes me physically ill when I run the possibilities and see what they may have to deal with.
Hell, I'm not guilt free by any means. I angst over the fact that I contribute/contributed to this mess, and that my generation was on a roll, butt we let them whoop our butts and most of us sold out, or got tired and simply gave up the fight.
I'm gettin' my second wind, friend and I still "teach my children well" and the grands. They are paying attention, so I take solice that I have passed the torch.... when I pass.
Care and Peace, and keep the RWS clean!
Sure you could. It okay though. Moot is the word. Dave
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