[gardeners] unlurking and natural weed killer

charisse (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Thu, 20 Jun 2002 13:00:33 -0500 

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_002D_01C2185A.76A6A070
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I have been lurking for several years, always intending to join in when =
I had my own garden. I had been tending my mothers' property (primarily =
grass and evergreens) but now I have my own!!

I hate grass - to me it is a waste of resources and time so I vowed I =
would have NO GRASS!

As my home is new construction, last year was spent in getting the =
ground ready to grow something. Top soil was added to the front and back =
yards. The front was entirely covered in landscape fabric and mulch - =
with several locust trees and evergreens added.

This year I have begun planting roses and perennials in the front and =
back.In the front I just cut away the fabric, use my Mantis to till the =
exposed area (adding peat as I don't have any compost yet) and plant. =
The back is more work and as it is such a large area I'm not going to be =
able to put in many plants (costs would be too great). So based on =
previous posts here, I have tilled some areas and put down plastic. Once =
MotherNature has baked all those weed seeds I  will put down perennial =
seeds. As this property was farm land (corn and soybeans) I know that my =
soil is not suitable for growing any edibles. (I'm a believer in =
organic).  I've planted a few things in buckets (tomatoes, lettuce etc), =
but will have to wait before I can have a vegetable garden.

If I build raised beds for vegetables (would have to be next year - I've =
got enough to do this year LOL) how high would they have to be to be =
safe from the pesticide residue??  Any ideas??

So as time passes, I will probably have many questions, but I also hope =
to contribute much.

And in that vein, while visiting a weather site I stumbled upon a link =
to a new USDA study regarding vinegar and its ability to kill weeds - a =
true organic solution. (Boiling water works - but is not very =
convenient)  If you wish to read the little report =
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2002/020515.htm. I was most amazed at the =
kill rate stated. I'm going to try it in the back yard - but where would =
one get the higher concentrated (20%) solution) vinegars needed for the =
stronger weeds??

Looking forward to staying unlurked (is that a word??) and I promise not =
to be as long-winded!!

Charisse Illinois zone 5

------=_NextPart_000_002D_01C2185A.76A6A070
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
I have been lurking for several years, = always=20 intending to join in when I had my own garden. I had been tending my = mothers'=20 property (primarily grass and evergreens) but now I have my = own!!
 
I hate grass - to me it is a waste of = resources and=20 time so I vowed I would have NO GRASS!
 
As my home is new construction, last = year was spent=20 in getting the ground ready to grow something. Top soil was added to the = front=20 and back yards. The front was entirely covered in landscape fabric and = mulch -=20 with several locust trees and evergreens added.
 
This year I have begun planting roses = and=20 perennials in the front and back.In the front I just cut away the = fabric,=20 use my Mantis to till the exposed area (adding peat as I don't have any = compost=20 yet) and plant. The back is more work and as it is such a large area I'm = not=20 going to be able to put in many plants (costs would be too great). So = based on=20 previous posts here, I have tilled some areas and put down plastic. Once = MotherNature has baked all those weed seeds I  will put down = perennial=20 seeds. As this property was farm land (corn and soybeans) I know that my = soil is=20 not suitable for growing any edibles. (I'm a believer in organic).  = I've=20 planted a few things in buckets (tomatoes, lettuce etc), but will have = to wait=20 before I can have a vegetable garden.
 
If I build raised beds for vegetables = (would have=20 to be next year - I've got enough to do this year LOL) how high would = they have=20 to be to be safe from the pesticide residue??  Any = ideas??
 
So as time passes, I will probably have = many=20 questions, but I also hope to contribute much.
 
And in that vein, while visiting a = weather site I=20 stumbled upon a link to a new USDA study regarding vinegar and its = ability to=20 kill weeds - a true organic solution. (Boiling water works - but = is not=20 very convenient)  If you wish to read the little report http://www.ars.usd= a.gov/is/pr/2002/020515.htm.=20 I was most amazed at the kill rate stated. I'm going to try it in the = back yard=20 - but where would one get the higher concentrated (20%) solution) = vinegars=20 needed for the stronger weeds??
 
Looking forward to staying unlurked (is = that a=20 word??) and I promise not to be as long-winded!!
 
Charisse Illinois zone = 5
------=_NextPart_000_002D_01C2185A.76A6A070--