Reducing Weed Loads

     

Weed loads—I have been pondering weeds lately as I face the daunting task of bringing the school garden into some sort of order. It’s hard—a focused group of three to five people, working for a couple of hours every week would whip it into shape in no time, but…we all have lives- -and gardens-- outside of school and commitment is difficult. Especially when it comes to blackberry brambles.  It’s not like the garden is a weed patch; the actual beds are in pretty good order, weeded, mulched, and irrigated only around the crops. It’s the edges and paths, and the unique challenges of nut sedge, a lush green grassy looking weed which has a nasty little nodule that needs to be removed to kill it, that are a challenge.  I find myself making little lists in my mind before I fall asleep.

Weed Suppression techniques:

1.       Weed and mulch with cardboard and chips: Very effective in the short term and looks really nice when done. However, I have a deep and abiding suspicion that, long term, I am creating a really nice bed for some deep rooted weeds.

2.       Mowable paths: Looks nice and is pretty easy to maintain. Do the weeds creep into the beds more easily? Probably.

3.       Dry and trampled paths: This happens naturally over time with heavy foot traffic, especially during mud season. It is cheap and easy to maintain, once the irrigation is set up, but does it look very good?

4.    

   Preferred invasives: I used this one a great deal—plant things I like to push out what I don’t. Or don’t weed out what is spreading. Calendula flowers. Mints. Mustard and amaranth. Lady’s Mantle. Sunflowers. Fennel. Pollinators love it but it can get out of control – but is it worse than the nut sedge?

5.       Densely planted perennial beds: Similar to method four, this method depends upon crowding out the plants we do not want in favor of ones that we do. With drought tolerant herbs, this can be very effective, but takes a few years to establish.

6.       Constant weeding: Deep sigh….needed, but takes a great deal of time and effort. Should be saved for focused areas.

7.       Weed-whacking: Improves the area in the short term, but does not eliminate the problem. And that string is a pain!

8.       This is a food farm, not a flower garden: Rethinking expectations to match the area. I do this at home. Everything does not have to be perfect to be beautiful and productive.