The edges of our garden are also fence so we do the same cardboard then thick layers of wood chips to suppress weeds. We leave about afoot outside the fence all the way around so we can mow up to the fence
A wealth of information you have shared in this video, like the boss says backwoods logic always prevails. The backwoods logic you are using is 100% legit. I don't understand why people would want to poison their gardens with chemicals from plastics, and other non-organic materials. Straw or hay not only protects your plants from weeds, but once it breaks down it'll add to the composting effect where as woodchips would take several years to break down. Great video!
I can get unlimited coffee bean bags for free so I've been using them on the paths. I also have tons of tree debris as well as an old saw mill next door where the neighbor has allowed access to the remnant pile which is old and decomposed -- pretty much organic soil. The neighbor also has piles of first cuts bundles which are so old that the wood is decomposed where it just falls apart so I put it through a shredder and get lots of wood chips. The wood chip guys dump all their chips at the highway gravel pit so all the locals have access to them. Thank you for your informative video!!!
I wonder if blocking 14 comfrey might help with the border. The deep, thick roots help choke out even the most persistent creepers like witch grass. Blocking 14 is a very generous plant. One root will yield dozens of new comfrey with time if you split the roots periodically. Just chop off a thick root, cut it into 1-2” pieces and plant the new root pieces. I plant these around the fruit trees to living mulch the trees, and attract pollinators with the pretty purple blooms. Comfrey is also a lovely chop and drop mulch in place, and makes a potent liquid fertilizer as you soak the leaves in simple water. The plant keeps on giving.
Are there any weeds in your chicken run? You could make a small hoop run around your fence and let the chickens take care of those weeds. You could also burn the weeds. Too much nitrogen will cause the weeds to die off and by the time it gets to your garden, it will be diluted enough and just be fertilizer.
Hi! I just saw your video and you said you were looking for natural weed suppression ideas for the perimeter of your garden? If you don’t mind a bit of acidic soil which over time will wash away… try wood ashes. That plus the higher solution of vinegar should be enough. Or you could put down sand. I’ve seen that. The point here is prevention. Once the weed is there - the vinegar browned the leaves… if the weed can’t synthesize light, it will die. If it can’t produce seed it can’t spread. Old timers used to fence their gardens with wood, that’s the best prevention. Whatever you choose to do, I hope it works out. Looks like your garden is off to a good start!
I am on a similar journey of exploration with weed control this year. I am using grass clippings for mulch of the beds, woodchips and/or last years straw mulch in the walk ways, and black landscape fabric under the fence. I am hoping to find a more natural solution for weeds under the fence so I will look forward to hearing about how the vinegar works for you!
Use a higher acidic Vinegar...store bought is 3%-5% acidity.. Amazon 20% acidic...you will get better results and substitute salt for Epsom salt mix in a bit of Organic soap..Dr. B..
I mulch but I won't mulch my onions anymore. We had so much rain a few years ago, I couldn't get them harvested. When I finally got a couple of dry days it was too wet under the mulch that way too many were rotting or soft and eventually went bad. Anyway it looks good. Happy harvesting.
Hi Katie! Fellow RD here.❤️ Sooooo many gardeners I watch use shredded cardboard boxes as carbon material for their composting methods. I heard you mention the dyes and forever chemicals in the cardboard. I wondered that as well but everyone I watched use cardboard. Now I’m worried!!
I have a hula hoe similar to the one in the video as well as one that is 1-2’ long that I can use to get around my plants easier. Mainly use that one to get under the canopy of my giant pumpkin plants.
I’m always learning from you!! As for watering.. as you did last year.. what about tomatoes and few other plants that cannot be watered from above..? Been wondering since last year!! 😀
Great video! New subscriber:) my dream is to homestead… starting small now till we find land. Thank you for the video. We love using hay around the plants. Such a life saver for not weeding!
I spray with 30 % then lay cardboard at the beginning of the season before planting my garden and it seems to work until come late August. I’m in southern Indiana and I only leave the cardboard or boards under my fence row for two to three weeks then remove. This has worked for me for a new garden this is my third year in this location so I hope that helps and I use straight 30% vinegar no salt and make sure it’s sunny for atleast 48 hours.
Alfalfa is also magical for flowering plants. Aside from the mulch in action and added bit of nitrogen, alfalfa contains natural blooming hormones that my flower gardens love.
I noticed when I used straw it did create a bit of a haven for slugs unfortunately. I actually mulch with other plants like a living mulch or green manure. For example, last year for my tomatoes, I planted radishes. Confession: I don’t really like radishes that much or have yet to find a way to enjoy them. But they make a great living mulch and they produce really pretty flowers that bring in beneficial insects. Typically, radishes don’t like heat too much and might struggle to bulb up but mine did.
Have you tried bricks? I dug out a shallow trench under my fence, laid cardboard and then on top laid used bricks. You could also use landscape fabric (but I’m not a fan of that, personally). If you lay the bricks tightly together it keeps the weeds out from between them. If I do get weeds, I burn them (that probably won’t work with your electric fence line…?)
Lots of great info here, thank you! I am definitely try getting one of those hoes to help with weeding. We’ve been in our home for just 2 years and the land was overrun with weeds. I am getting there, slowly but a tool like this would be helpful.
I bought some compacted cubes of Coir coconut mulch around plants this year (Costco online). I couldn't find anything labeled organic on marketplace... Anyone have experience with the coir product?
Great question! I’m sensitive to wheat/gluten as well. When I grow fodder for my chickens I have to wear gloves when I handle it otherwise my hands break out with eczema, however, I’ve never had issues with organic straw thankfully!
For fences...I put down a narrow "6-8in" strip of cardboard then covered with wood chips👍🤠
Smart! That’s probably a great idea for that fence section
You are my favorite gardener to watch! I love your no nonsense, natural approach to gardening!
So nice of you!! 🫶🏼🫶🏼 Thanks so much for being here
The edges of our garden are also fence so we do the same cardboard then thick layers of wood chips to suppress weeds. We leave about afoot outside the fence all the way around so we can mow up to the fence
A wealth of information you have shared in this video, like the boss says backwoods logic always prevails. The backwoods logic you are using is 100% legit. I don't understand why people would want to poison their gardens with chemicals from plastics, and other non-organic materials. Straw or hay not only protects your plants from weeds, but once it breaks down it'll add to the composting effect where as woodchips would take several years to break down. Great video!
I so appreciate it! Thank you!
I can get unlimited coffee bean bags for free so I've been using them on the paths. I also have tons of tree debris as well as an old saw mill next door where the neighbor has allowed access to the remnant pile which is old and decomposed -- pretty much organic soil.
The neighbor also has piles of first cuts bundles which are so old that the wood is decomposed where it just falls apart so I put it through a shredder and get lots of wood chips.
The wood chip guys dump all their chips at the highway gravel pit so all the locals have access to them.
Thank you for your informative video!!!
I wonder if blocking 14 comfrey might help with the border. The deep, thick roots help choke out even the most persistent creepers like witch grass. Blocking 14 is a very generous plant. One root will yield dozens of new comfrey with time if you split the roots periodically. Just chop off a thick root, cut it into 1-2” pieces and plant the new root pieces. I plant these around the fruit trees to living mulch the trees, and attract pollinators with the pretty purple blooms.
Comfrey is also a lovely chop and drop mulch in place, and makes a potent liquid fertilizer as you soak the leaves in simple water. The plant keeps on giving.
Are there any weeds in your chicken run? You could make a small hoop run around your fence and let the chickens take care of those weeds. You could also burn the weeds. Too much nitrogen will cause the weeds to die off and by the time it gets to your garden, it will be diluted enough and just be fertilizer.
These are great ideas!! Thank you!
Hi! I just saw your video and you said you were looking for natural weed suppression ideas for the perimeter of your garden? If you don’t mind a bit of acidic soil which over time will wash away… try wood ashes. That plus the higher solution of vinegar should be enough. Or you could put down sand. I’ve seen that. The point here is prevention. Once the weed is there - the vinegar browned the leaves… if the weed can’t synthesize light, it will die. If it can’t produce seed it can’t spread. Old timers used to fence their gardens with wood, that’s the best prevention. Whatever you choose to do, I hope it works out. Looks like your garden is off to a good start!
I am on a similar journey of exploration with weed control this year. I am using grass clippings for mulch of the beds, woodchips and/or last years straw mulch in the walk ways, and black landscape fabric under the fence. I am hoping to find a more natural solution for weeds under the fence so I will look forward to hearing about how the vinegar works for you!
Leaves! I am making leaf mold right now and also pine shavings for tender plants like onions and carrots and peas.
Wonderful!! 👏🏼👏🏼
Propane torch works really well in areas you are OK with torching and don't want to add the chemicals.
Great idea! Thank you!
Use a higher acidic Vinegar...store bought is 3%-5% acidity.. Amazon 20% acidic...you will get better results and substitute salt for Epsom salt mix in a bit of Organic soap..Dr. B..
Thanks so much, Katie! Your advice and help is greatly appreciated!
You are so welcome!!!
Excellent presentation on this important topic. I will definitely add the wood chips to my plan!
Glad it was helpful!
I've wanted to experiment with planting things around the edges that help keep weeds at bay, like strawberries.
That's a great idea! Let me know how it goes!!
Hello from Forest Lake Minnesota!! Great episode!!
Hello there! Thank you!!
wow you have a nice garden.
Thank you!!
I mulch but I won't mulch my onions anymore. We had so much rain a few years ago, I couldn't get them harvested. When I finally got a couple of dry days it was too wet under the mulch that way too many were rotting or soft and eventually went bad. Anyway it looks good. Happy harvesting.
Oh no! So sorry to hear that. Where are you located?
@@thehomesteadingrd
Pennsylvania, borderline central to northeast
Hi Katie! Fellow RD here.❤️ Sooooo many gardeners I watch use shredded cardboard boxes as carbon material for their composting methods. I heard you mention the dyes and forever chemicals in the cardboard. I wondered that as well but everyone I watched use cardboard. Now I’m worried!!
Yes, unfortunately it's a super common material to use in gardens right now. I do worry about it!
I have a hula hoe similar to the one in the video as well as one that is 1-2’ long that I can use to get around my plants easier. Mainly use that one to get under the canopy of my giant pumpkin plants.
A short one would be so handy!!!
I’m always learning from you!! As for watering.. as you did last year.. what about tomatoes and few other plants that cannot be watered from above..? Been wondering since last year!! 😀
Great video! New subscriber:) my dream is to homestead… starting small now till we find land. Thank you for the video. We love using hay around the plants. Such a life saver for not weeding!
I’m so glad you’re here! ☺️
I support you 🧑🌾🧑🌾🧑🌾
Thanks so much!!
Wow looking amazing over there 🌱🌱💚 woodchips are definitely a universal blessing! So is a light sprinkle of wood ash🤔🤫
Thank you!!
I spray with 30 % then lay cardboard at the beginning of the season before planting my garden and it seems to work until come late August. I’m in southern Indiana and I only leave the cardboard or boards under my fence row for two to three weeks then remove. This has worked for me for a new garden this is my third year in this location so I hope that helps and I use straight 30% vinegar no salt and make sure it’s sunny for atleast 48 hours.
Perfect, thank you!!
I use compacted alfalfa hay from tractor supply, around $27 works great and adds nitrogen to the soil
That sounds awesome!! I hope it’s organic 🙏🏼
Alfalfa is also magical for flowering plants. Aside from the mulch in action and added bit of nitrogen, alfalfa contains natural blooming hormones that my flower gardens love.
Never heard it was good for flowers, I'll give it a try
Maybe touch on killer compost, i ran into that one year.
I have never had a slug problem until I started mulching with straw, any thoughts how to deal with this? I also am gardening in zone 3 Minnesota.
I noticed when I used straw it did create a bit of a haven for slugs unfortunately. I actually mulch with other plants like a living mulch or green manure. For example, last year for my tomatoes, I planted radishes. Confession: I don’t really like radishes that much or have yet to find a way to enjoy them. But they make a great living mulch and they produce really pretty flowers that bring in beneficial insects. Typically, radishes don’t like heat too much and might struggle to bulb up but mine did.
Great Video ! Can you link me the video on your electric fence around your vegetable garden?
Sure thing! Here it is: Let's Prep the Garden for Planting! - Fencing, Soil Testing, Amendments
ruclips.net/video/iaDlKfuwLN4/видео.html
Have you tried bricks? I dug out a shallow trench under my fence, laid cardboard and then on top laid used bricks. You could also use landscape fabric (but I’m not a fan of that, personally). If you lay the bricks tightly together it keeps the weeds out from between them. If I do get weeds, I burn them (that probably won’t work with your electric fence line…?)
That’s a great idea!! Thank you!!
Lots of great info here, thank you! I am definitely try getting one of those hoes to help with weeding. We’ve been in our home for just 2 years and the land was overrun with weeds. I am getting there, slowly but a tool like this would be helpful.
I LOVE my hula hoe! It’s harder to use here with my clay soil but at our last homestead with sandy soil it worked like a DREAM
Weeds keep growing through my newspaper, and nothing is heavy enough to keep them from blowing away!! Its a nightmare
I bought some compacted cubes of Coir coconut mulch around plants this year (Costco online). I couldn't find anything labeled organic on marketplace...
Anyone have experience with the coir product?
I love this idea but am concerned about my wheat allergy. Any suggestions?
Great question! I’m sensitive to wheat/gluten as well. When I grow fodder for my chickens I have to wear gloves when I handle it otherwise my hands break out with eczema, however, I’ve never had issues with organic straw thankfully!
Mulch... mulch and more mulch 👍🤠
Love that answer!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼
💚👍
🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
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