Weed Control

Weed Control.

Two organic weed control strategies are:
* the heavy use of mulch reduces weed growth significantly.
* remove weeds before they go to seed.
The key thing is that most of us realize is that herbicides are expensive and cause harm to people, plants,animals, birds, water & soil life. We used to think we had a real weed problem until we visited one of Australia's largest organic farms where we were told that their wages bill for people to weed was over $125,000 per year. They pull out weeds by hand with teams of "weeders". After learning that, our weed problems faded into insignificance.Weeding is a chore. There's absolutely no doubt about that. Weeds are probably the organic gardener's greatest enemy. They use up nutrients, and smother plants. If allowed to go to seed, they proliferate with amazing speed. But what you need to understand about weeds is that when they are a real problem it is a sign that vital nutrients are missing. The purpose of weeds is nutrient recycling. With long roots, they bring up nutrients from deep down in the soil. Pull them up and use them, as nutrient-rich mulch.Particular weeds definitely grow in response to the structure, texture and fertility of the soil. For example, where there is a calcium deficiency there are millions of dandelions and "farmers friends". Many weeds grow best in poor, infertile soil, since the basic cause of most weed problems is wrong soil conditions. So the best organic weed control system is to learn how to build healthy balanced soil and to maintain it. Part of this is developing the soil food web(bacteria,fungi,worms) to improve the soil structure and indirectly help fight weeds by helping crop plants grow better.
Some plants & trees have enough leaves to restrict weed growth. The best organic weed control strategy is to plant vegetables closely together so that they shade the ground. You can do this when you have very high levels of nutrients and organic matter in the soil.Some small-scale commercial farmers use plastic sheeting or old carpeting to control weeds but this is a problem in that they stop sunlight, water and fertilizer from penetrating and without these, the soil dies. Carpets have poisons that leach into the soil.One of our key organic weed control strategies is to use cardboard and newspapers covered in mulch between my rows of vegetables and fruit trees. Both these substances break down over time and add cellulose, a natural wood-based substance, to the soil so that mulching has a dual purpose: it stops weeds and it add organic matter to the soil.The good news is that as the mineral balance and organic matter levels in the soil improve, weeds become less of a problem and easier to pull out. Composting, mulching and worm trenching are the other main organic weed control strategies I use which, at the same time, build organic matter. To summarise the best strategies for organic weed control are:
Remove weeds before they go to seed
Build the soil organic matter
Build soil nutrient level and ensure all the elements are present and in the correct balance
Use cardboard, newspaper and mulch to shut out light
Pull out weeds when they are small and loosen soil around plants to disturb the roots of newly emerging weeds.
Make sure your compost is properly aerated, moistened and hot enough to kill all weed seeds and pathogens.
Don’t throw away weeds: use them as mulch; they contain the missing nutrients you need to improve your organic soil.
Learn to enjoy your weeds!! Weeding can actually be a very meditative and soothing process if you allow yourself to let go the judgement around weeds. In the Healthy Growing programme you will find some fascinating insights into the role of weeds in restoring soil fertility and balance. Weeds actually have a very important role in nature. For more information go to www.growinghealthyorganicfood.com