Re: O/T Kinda = Pre-Emergents Veggie Gardens

Posted by F14 on February 25, 2003 at 14:40:51 from (204.181.140.75):

In Reply to: O/T Kinda = Pre-Emergents Veggie Gardens posted by Tommy D on February 25, 2003 at 10:21:05:

I wouldn't do it, myself, but I'm generally anti-herbicide anyway.

There are some non-chemical alternatives. A good, dense cover crop will crowd out the weeds, while adding green manure when tilled under, and improving soil structure. This works best with something like winter rye which greens up in the spring before weed seeds get a chance to germinate. Fall oats will work, if they get a chance to get a good stand before they winter kill. The dead cover in the spring acts as a mulch to retard weed growth.

Mulching during the growing season with good clean straw or other non-seedbearing materials will help. Planting between the rows with something hardy enough to take walking on, like white clover, will out-compete weeds while helping to fix nitrogen in the soil.

I find it a bit curious that you feel the chicken manure caused the weed problem. Chickens process weed seeds VERY efficiently. Raw (uncomposted) horse manure will sure do that, but this is the first I've heard of chicken manure causing the problem. Weed seeds live in the soil for up to a hundred years in some species. Disturbing the soil (tilling, etc) brings them up where they get light and air, and they sprout.

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