tips & tricks
Mulches
The term ‘ mulch ’ generally conjures up images of shredded hardwood spread around one ’ s foundation plantings or trees , but it actually refers to any ground covering , living or otherwise , and is a great organic weed control . Living mulches are those that are intentionally planted to cover the ground and out-compete weeds . In a conventional landscape , these are things like ivy , ajuga , or vinca vines . In a garden of edible plants that are usually replanted annually , it could mean other vining plants such as squashes or peas . Care must be taken so they don ’ t do too well and outcompete the other desirable crops . Other living mulches are cover crops . These are intentionally planted green manures such as oats , vetch , or clover , with a purpose to hold the soil in place , add nutrients to it , and not allow weeds to proliferate . These are often planted during the off-season but can be planted in rows between garden crops as a weed control option . A less popular but effective method of using living mulch for weed control is to selectively allow some weeds to grow as a cover crop . When this is done , usually weeds that serve an additional purpose are chosen . Examples of this are letting edible weeds such as purslane or dandelions grow . The other main benefit to this approach is weeds provide an environment conducive to attracting and harboring beneficial insects in your garden .
Non-living mulches include materials that were previously living such as bark , straw , and grass clippings , as well as items such as newspaper and black plastic . These materials are compatible with organic gardening as they are natural materials and decompose . Yes , even some modern plastics are bio-based out of corn or other degradable materials . If a non-degradable plastic is selected , it will need to be removed at the end of the season . Plastic left in place can become a haven for unwanted animals and rodents such as voles and other field mice . As materials decompose ( except for the non-degradable plastic ), they can add additional nutrients to the soil . I am careful to say ‘ can ’ add , as some materials such as fresh wood chips or unaged hardwood mulch can actually pull nutrients out of the ground as they begin their decomposition process . It is best to use aged materials for this purpose . A word of caution about using straw : if you are uncertain of the difference between hay and straw , it ’ s best to find out . Hay contains the seed heads of various grains and grasses that will get into your soil and germinate . You will be repopulating your seedbed with many thousands of undesirable seeds ( unless you intend to grow hay ). Straw is only the stems of those same grains or grasses and should not contain any seeds . A tried-and-true recipe for organic weed control is to alternate layers of newspaper and straw . When done properly , it stays in place and provides season-long weed control .
Hand pulling of weeds is still probably the most beneficial method of organic weed control for both the garden and the gardener .
Organic Herbicides
There are numerous manufactured concoctions , many certified organic , that can be sprayed on weeds to control them . They are all non-selective controls . The same precautions of preventing overspray and drift with chemical herbicides need to be observed when using organic ones . Organic weed killers that inhibit seed germination ( pre-emergence ) are made from corn gluten . This method becomes more reliable with successive years of use , and should not be relied on as the sole method of organic weed control . It does , however , work to reduce the instances of seed germination by coating the seed , effectively blocking out the sun . Organic herbicides that control weeds and grasses after they have germinated ( post-emergence ) are generally some combination of horticultural-grade vinegar , acetic acid or citric acid , and other plant oils such as clove , garlic , or mint . Their effectiveness varies and none should be considered to be as effective as their chemical counterparts . They will kill or damage desirable plants just as much as weeds . Always defer to the manufacturers precautions on the bottle .
102 grow cycle