I've never done this but I wonder what you think? What if you started a wood fire on the beds and then smothered it out with compost to get your carbon content. Would probably increase your potassium levels too. I do put my wood ashes from our DAKA furnace in the gardens.
Haha, I’ve had a similar thought. I am not sure if it would be easy to contain, but might add some good longterm carbon to the soil. Sounds a little dangerous, too, which I like
Stop the presses ! I found the perfect tool . I have a Stihl weedeater and just bought a three-sided steel blade for it . It drops 12in of thick dense grass has directly on the spot it's cut it would work perfect for this application and it's inexpensive to.
The weedwacker bed flip is one of my favorites! Alex Ekins of Ace of Spades Farm turned me on to this idea. It’s brilliant. We clear baby greens this way.
Have you seen the electric trimmer strapped to an earthway seeder by Mark at I AM ORGANIC GARDENING? Set it at the height of your bed, and chop n drop the whole plant as you walk the bed. Might work for you as long as that really terminates the buckweat
I use to use steam and crimper to kill the cover crop. (err) but that's a problem because it broke but it was the best cover crop killer - Instead of a flame weeder but did you try crimping then wetting the cover crop? That would mean when you hit it with a crimp and flame while wet would give you steam. Which would kill the cover crop but probably leave what's below it fine. And you would just need to hit that in strips instead of the whole thing. As it's an extra step to the crimp.
A few comments on the video: I always wonder why people dont sow cover crops in the pathways also? Whenever i have a cover crop that is really small and i have to kill it off, I always wonder if it was really worth the time and effort for such a small amount of organic material. I realize that a plants root system is twice as big as the part we see above ground, but I still have doubts about how much more effective it is compared to sheet composting some grass from the side of the road or something (note: i dont actually do this, i am out there with my little buckwheat cover crops also, but i always just feel a little bit silly when it is just a few beds and i consider the effort of getting out the seeder, seeding the crop, watering, and then doing something with it compared to the effort of raking grass up and spreading it-blending it with the soil a bit to bind up nutrients and keep the soil covered). This year I have decided that the buckwheat has to be able to get at least 3 feet high to be worth it, no science behind this but just based on observations and the effort that i put behind it. Third thing do you ever wonder about the impact of flame weeding and the amount of fuel you use? I know that it always seems like a small amount, but again its just one of those things that i think a little about when i calculate how much fossil energy is behind the vegetables i grow and i just feel bad if i use the flame weeder too much (but of course i still use it, just maybe not as much as if it were 0 carbon footprint). It basically always makes financial sense to flame weed compared to other methods of handling weeds, but if we think about 100% of all cropland being flame weeded, which is the way that it actually works on many small market gardens these days, in order to feed people, wouldnt that end up being a hell of a lot of propane?
We might experiment with some row cover crops next year, but our experience so far has mostly been that they are really hard to manage unless you plant to tarp the whole thing. With slightly raised beds, it’s hard to get a good mow not them. If we had designed our beds and path differently it would work. Cover crops are great for soil, not just organic matter. They gather microbes, hold the soil in place, add carbon, provide shade. No shortage of goodness. We’re going heavier on them next year, for sure. We always see the best crop response from them. As for fuel, we filled this tank in April or May of last year. So I’m not that worried about the amount of fuel. We don’t use it that much. Honestly, since this didn’t work, I don’t know that we’ll use it at all anymore. Compost suppresses weeds better and it’s way cheaper!
Is there a video or can you make a video where you show planting into the rows after you mowed it and flamed the bed. I am thinking that you would have a rough time using the jang seeder because of the plant stubble's that would get in the way and might make it harder to plant using a seeder.
Hey Patrick! So, we sow the cover crop in rows so that if we want to direct seed, we can just sow between the stubble. For baby greens this may be a bit tougher but works for most things. Also you can sow directly up against he stubble without too much trouble. If you can plan ahead, that’s optimal. No video yet, but I will go more in depth on this in the future for sure!
I’m not sure it’d be cost effective and wouldn’t want to do it with every cover crop as some respond so well to crimping, but with one like buckwheat have you considered hybridizing commercial no till and organic by burning it with horticultural vinegar?
Had your cover crop got to anthesis before you crimped the stems. If it had not, the plant thinks it has not completed its lifecycle. Therefore it will grow back. Better luck next time. I appreciate the attempts to push the boundaries forward.
Great question and no it had not! In some ways the goal with the flame weeder was to skip that step in the crimping method. It did not, as you can tell, work.
I think there's too much water in the cover crop. You would have to spend a lot of energy to heat it enough to kill everything. A better crimper could work. A smaller version of the Rodale design maybe?
Thanks, Greg! Appreciate it. Definitely need to be mindful of one’s health this time of year--so easy to overdo it. June through August are rough. If I don’t start looking better by December make me take a week off!
I like this, but I wanted something faster. Solarization could be faster (O’Hara claims one day is enough), but always looking for the fastest possible turnover.
2:03 hey, fellow Nate here. I just wanted to inform you, that you made the correct decision at this moment. Your future is in proper hands
-Nate G
I've never done this but I wonder what you think? What if you started a wood fire on the beds and then smothered it out with compost to get your carbon content. Would probably increase your potassium levels too. I do put my wood ashes from our DAKA furnace in the gardens.
Haha, I’ve had a similar thought. I am not sure if it would be easy to contain, but might add some good longterm carbon to the soil. Sounds a little dangerous, too, which I like
@@notillgrowers here is one way we get carbon in the soil... ruclips.net/video/pFnSj8BN_wo/видео.html
Keep it up man, experimentation is the only path to progress!! Thanks for sharing the results regardless of the outcome!!!
Thank you and I hope it’s helpful!
Stop the presses ! I found the perfect tool . I have a Stihl weedeater and just bought a three-sided steel blade for it . It drops 12in of thick dense grass has directly on the spot it's cut it would work perfect for this application and it's inexpensive to.
The weedwacker bed flip is one of my favorites! Alex Ekins of Ace of Spades Farm turned me on to this idea. It’s brilliant. We clear baby greens this way.
@@notillgrowers nice 1st time I used one with a steel blade
Have you seen the electric trimmer strapped to an earthway seeder by Mark at I AM ORGANIC GARDENING? Set it at the height of your bed, and chop n drop the whole plant as you walk the bed. Might work for you as long as that really terminates the buckweat
Nice! Good idea
I use to use steam and crimper to kill the cover crop. (err) but that's a problem because it broke but it was the best cover crop killer - Instead of a flame weeder but did you try crimping then wetting the cover crop? That would mean when you hit it with a crimp and flame while wet would give you steam. Which would kill the cover crop but probably leave what's below it fine. And you would just need to hit that in strips instead of the whole thing. As it's an extra step to the crimp.
When I chop and drop or take a garden down I take it down with a Toro weed eater. I chop it down till it's throwing dirt, I call it a grind and grow!
A sickle bar attachment for your BCS would cut it off at the base and drop it on the bed. Hope this helps
That's a great idea!
Saw you on Josh Sattin's video. Awesome. SUBSCRIBE!
Trying to start a market garden focused on garlic in Northwest Indiana! Love the information.
Awesome, Luc! That’s great to hear. Northwest Indiana is a good area, population-wise. Best of luck to you!
Great video Jesse 👊🏼. Why aren’t you using the power harrow anymore?
Don’t really need it and also trying to reduce soil disturbance entirely beyond shoving the plant in the ground.
A few comments on the video:
I always wonder why people dont sow cover crops in the pathways also?
Whenever i have a cover crop that is really small and i have to kill it off, I always wonder if it was really worth the time and effort for such a small amount of organic material. I realize that a plants root system is twice as big as the part we see above ground, but I still have doubts about how much more effective it is compared to sheet composting some grass from the side of the road or something (note: i dont actually do this, i am out there with my little buckwheat cover crops also, but i always just feel a little bit silly when it is just a few beds and i consider the effort of getting out the seeder, seeding the crop, watering, and then doing something with it compared to the effort of raking grass up and spreading it-blending it with the soil a bit to bind up nutrients and keep the soil covered). This year I have decided that the buckwheat has to be able to get at least 3 feet high to be worth it, no science behind this but just based on observations and the effort that i put behind it.
Third thing do you ever wonder about the impact of flame weeding and the amount of fuel you use? I know that it always seems like a small amount, but again its just one of those things that i think a little about when i calculate how much fossil energy is behind the vegetables i grow and i just feel bad if i use the flame weeder too much (but of course i still use it, just maybe not as much as if it were 0 carbon footprint). It basically always makes financial sense to flame weed compared to other methods of handling weeds, but if we think about 100% of all cropland being flame weeded, which is the way that it actually works on many small market gardens these days, in order to feed people, wouldnt that end up being a hell of a lot of propane?
We might experiment with some row cover crops next year, but our experience so far has mostly been that they are really hard to manage unless you plant to tarp the whole thing. With slightly raised beds, it’s hard to get a good mow not them. If we had designed our beds and path differently it would work.
Cover crops are great for soil, not just organic matter. They gather microbes, hold the soil in place, add carbon, provide shade. No shortage of goodness. We’re going heavier on them next year, for sure. We always see the best crop response from them.
As for fuel, we filled this tank in April or May of last year. So I’m not that worried about the amount of fuel. We don’t use it that much. Honestly, since this didn’t work, I don’t know that we’ll use it at all anymore. Compost suppresses weeds better and it’s way cheaper!
Great video keep up the good work
Thank you and thanks for watching
Yes i enjoy all the content i began a micro market garden my self
Is there a video or can you make a video where you show planting into the rows after you mowed it and flamed the bed. I am thinking that you would have a rough time using the jang seeder because of the plant stubble's that would get in the way and might make it harder to plant using a seeder.
Hey Patrick! So, we sow the cover crop in rows so that if we want to direct seed, we can just sow between the stubble. For baby greens this may be a bit tougher but works for most things. Also you can sow directly up against he stubble without too much trouble. If you can plan ahead, that’s optimal. No video yet, but I will go more in depth on this in the future for sure!
I’m not sure it’d be cost effective and wouldn’t want to do it with every cover crop as some respond so well to crimping, but with one like buckwheat have you considered hybridizing commercial no till and organic by burning it with horticultural vinegar?
I hadn’t thought about that, actually, but I don’t see any reason some amount of acetic acid wouldn’t work on a hot day. Could be worth a shot.
If you experiment with it please keep me posted. Keep up the stellar work
Great vid! I just use spent hay and rabbit poo!
That method might change if I can ever get my hands on a Cyclone Rake
Had your cover crop got to anthesis before you crimped the stems. If it had not, the plant thinks it has not completed its lifecycle. Therefore it will grow back. Better luck next time. I appreciate the attempts to push the boundaries forward.
Great question and no it had not! In some ways the goal with the flame weeder was to skip that step in the crimping method. It did not, as you can tell, work.
I think there's too much water in the cover crop. You would have to spend a lot of energy to heat it enough to kill everything. A better crimper could work. A smaller version of the Rodale design maybe?
Mositure is an interesting point. Does anyone nake the roller for bcs with a chevron design?
@@notillgrowers I found this www.earthtools.com/implements-covercrop/crimperroller/
Take care of yourself bro, lookin tired...farms lookin great though, keep it up
Thanks, Greg! Appreciate it. Definitely need to be mindful of one’s health this time of year--so easy to overdo it. June through August are rough. If I don’t start looking better by December make me take a week off!
tarp it
I like this, but I wanted something faster. Solarization could be faster (O’Hara claims one day is enough), but always looking for the fastest possible turnover.