(I live in Riverside, CA)
My garden measures about 1,000 square feet. It contains roses, other shrubs, two small trees and a sparse groundcover of gazanias.
I've just pulled it-seemed-like thousands of weeds by hand.
How can I prevent the weeds from re-emerging without harming the existing plants?
Yet another way at looking at garden interlopers.
Bottom line is weeds try to fix soil imbalance. Easy to say when I do not know what balance is. Still worth a gander and perhaps your local library has a copy.
Bill who eats the Chick Weed, Lambs Quarters and Purslane that try to live on my small lawn. Knowing when matters as L Quarters can get tough real quick.
............
Posted this in SMC this aM.
Speaks of folks eating weeds.
........ First page of 14 listed below.
"Michael Pollan, a contributing writer, is the Knight professor of journalism at the University of California, Berkeley. His most recent book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma," was chosen by the editors of The New York Times Book Review as one of the 10 best books of 2006."
I've resisted the mulching option in certain years but truthfully (IMHO) it is the only way to eliminate weeds. Plus - it has the bonus of improving water retention.
I refuse to use chemical suppressants. Good Luck.
You must not have the super powered weeds that germinate in mulch. My weeds LAUGH at your mulch.
I have weedcloth, mulch, pre emergent controls, post emergent controls, and still pull weeds by hand for at least 6-8 hours a week year round. They will never go away as long as seeds blow and birds poop, and I don't see either of those stopping anytime soon.
You just have to teach yourself to see weeding as an enjoyable activity... Zen weeding. I highly recommend it.
I wonder which weeds germinate in wood chips. Here in MI nothing grows in them for at least one year, and then only sheep sorrel (a weed adapted to extreme acidity) ventures in them for another year or so.
On a related note, how the heck to you start weeding in the spring when the garden is just starting to burst forth with last year's wildflower seed crop? I'm sure there must be some way to do it but I'm not sure I have the brain capacity to memorize the various emerging forms of a few dozen wildflowers vs. a few hundred weeds...
Gary I have found using a mulch of about 8 sheets of newsprint, covered with small wood chips is a very good weed barrier. (I don't like the weed barrier fabric, because once the weeds get roots down under it they are extremely beastly to pull.) I don't mind weeding, it gives me a chance to sit and enjoy the sun and birds. I use no chemicals at all. You need to plant more plants!! In my garden there are so many ornamentals that the weeds have no place to grow, except between bricks. Shade the evil critters OUT!! Learn what the most common weeds look like when they are just emerging and get them out early. Emilie NorCal
Zen weeding is the way to go!
Also a few good hand tools will help your attitude. Google back- saving weed tools.
messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...
germinate in mulch.
"raycruzer" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@m58g2000cwm.googlegroups.com:
Zen weeding... is that done with a box of wine and headphones?
On 1/29/07 1:57 PM, in article eplg32$ihd$ snipped-for-privacy@blackhelicopter.databasix.com, "FragileWarrior"
I like using a propane torch like this one, to burn weeds:
Cheryl Isaak wrote in news:C1E3C271.64FC0% snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net:
"FragileWarrior"
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