Effective weed barrier

[Ninjasquirrel]

I've used all sorts of wee barriers. I think the most effective one and cheapest was newspaper (back when newspapers were more common).
I planted a huge garden (perhaps 1/4 acre) one spring. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with watering and weeding/cultivating due to working 10 hour days. Hence my move to newspaper. To keep the newspaper in place, I brought in a few truckloads of horse manure that was mostly straw. It worked beautifully. It turned out to be one of our hottest and driest summers. I used soaker hoses and only watered once a week. The straw/manure covered newspaper kept the ground moist. I was one of the only people with a decent harvest that year. Especially for someone with such a large garden and little time to tend it.
I left for work at 5:30 and got home about 4:30. My wife was quite pregnant that year (late August birth). She would go out very early in the morning before it got too hot, pick veggies and put them out on a harvest table in the shade with a scale, bags, a sign with prices and a cigar box for money. When I'd get home, I'd collect the money, put everything away and move the hoses.
Never once did I get ripped off. One day I opened the box and there was no money. I thought, "Oh well, it was about to happen eventually. But then when I picked everything up, there was a stack of money under the cigar box. I guess someone put it under there for safekeeping.

When I started to reply to this thread, I wanted to mention that there are millions of weed seeds in the soil. Some have been burred for years and only sprout when we disturb the soil. Cultivating, whether with a rototiller, shovel or trowel brings the seeds to the surface giving them sunlight, air and moisture urging them to sprout. IMHO, the less one disturbs the soil, the longer those seeds stay buried.

Ooo could I use chicken compost? I get the newspaper on sunday for couponing. Obviously I have a ton of it although there is a guy down the road with horses I would have to transport it via the wheelbarrow. Itd be a 10 mile walk just to get there

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Oofta. Have to say your conditions are much harder than mine! It's a rare occasion I have to deal with a mosquito at home.

Greenhouse maybe??

I would love one but we dont have a good area for it yet. Too many trees in the way. Our garden used to have a big elm tree where it is. All around we have cherry, maple, oak, basswood and more. They just contribute to the weed problem. In addition we have invasive species around. Poison ivy, poison oak, clover, and a flowing branch that JUST WONT DIE in the garden. It comes back every year and I'm out there with the pruning shears hacking at it. I cant dig it up because it has grown into the fence

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I've used all sorts of wee barriers. I think the most effective one and cheapest was newspaper (back when newspapers were more common).
I planted a huge garden (perhaps 1/4 acre) one spring. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with watering and weeding/cultivating due to working 10 hour days. Hence my move to newspaper. To keep the newspaper in place, I brought in a few truckloads of horse manure that was mostly straw. It worked beautifully. It turned out to be one of our hottest and driest summers. I used soaker hoses and only watered once a week. The straw/manure covered newspaper kept the ground moist. I was one of the only people with a decent harvest that year. Especially for someone with such a large garden and little time to tend it. The only weed issue I had that year was morning glory vines. They would run under the newspaper a long way before they would find light.
I left for work at 5:30 and got home about 4:30. My wife was quite pregnant that year (late August birth). She would go out very early in the morning before it got too hot, pick veggies and put them out on a harvest table in the shade with a scale, bags, a sign with prices and a cigar box for money. When I'd get home, I'd collect the money, put everything away and move the hoses.
Never once did I get ripped off. One day I opened the box and there was no money. I thought, "Oh well, it was about to happen eventually. But then when I picked everything up, there was a stack of money under the cigar box. I guess someone put it under there for safekeeping.

When I started to reply to this thread, I wanted to mention that there are millions of weed seeds in the soil. Some have been burred for years and only sprout when we disturb the soil. Cultivating, whether with a rototiller, shovel or trowel brings the seeds to the surface giving them sunlight, air and moisture urging them to sprout. IMHO, the less one disturbs the soil, the longer those seeds stay buried.

This is what I wanted to add. Many farmers are going to the no-till method of farming. They have found that there are fewer weeds the less you disturb the soil. Heavy mulching is also important, however be careful what you use so as not to have mulch that will deplete / or interfere with the nutrients getting to the plants. Also, crop rotation is important to maintain healthy soil as well.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Ooo could I use chicken compost? I get the newspaper on sunday for couponing. Obviously I have a ton of it although there is a guy down the road with horses I would have to transport it via the wheelbarrow. Itd be a 10 mile walk just to get there

You have to let the chicken poo and bedding compost before using. Newspaper and cardboard are excellent for mulching.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You can use most any kind of manure. While weed seeds will come from horse manure and even goat, cow, sheep, used sparingly on top of the newspaper it shouldn't be a big problem. Good hot compost will kill weed seeds when it gets up over 140F.
It depends on what crops you are growing whether chicken or other fresh manure is a problem. It is best to compost any manure till it gets really hot (requires a pile at least 27 cubic feet.) I haven't found that any fresh manure is too high in nitrogen or too hot for asparagus. Also keep in mind that nitrogen leaches quickly from compost and soil. Chicken manure or other nitrogen sources will lose that nutrient after a short period of time.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

You can use most any kind of manure. While weed seeds will come from horse manure and even goat, cow, sheep, used sparingly on top of the newspaper it shouldn't be a big problem. Good hot compost will kill weed seeds when it gets up over 140F.
It depends on what crops you are growing whether chicken or other fresh manure is a problem. It is best to compost any manure till it gets really hot (requires a pile at least 27 cubic feet.) I haven't found that any fresh manure is too high in nitrogen or too hot for asparagus. Also keep in mind that nitrogen leaches quickly from compost and soil. Chicken manure or other nitrogen sources will lose that nutrient after a short period of time.

We've composted all of our chicken poo and separated by year. For example last years poo has sat for a whole year and been turned twice a season. It now looks closer to dirt than fecal matter. My understanding is that means it is "safe to use" I didnt use it last year in the garden because I didn't think it was "ready".

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

This is what I wanted to add. Many farmers are going to the no-till method of farming. They have found that there are fewer weeds the less you disturb the soil. Heavy mulching is also important, however be careful what you use so as not to have mulch that will deplete / or interfere with the nutrients getting to the plants. Also, crop rotation is important to maintain healthy soil as well.

Interesting. I thought you should always till. My father always tilled twice. Once at the beginning of spring and once before planting. He said it was important to "air rate the soil after the harsh winter to allow the deeper soil to warm". Not sure to his truth but he always had a successful garden. My father used grass clippings and horse manure to quell his weeds but we don't collect our grass clippings. There also isn't much to clip. Our grass is very short since it doesn't have a lot of light. What is left after the chicks get to it isn't worth raking. The chickens will actually follow the mower around to eat what is cut.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

We've composted all of our chicken poo and separated by year. For example last years poo has sat for a whole year and been turned twice a season. It now looks closer to dirt than fecal matter. My understanding is that means it is "safe to use" I didnt use it last year in the garden because I didn't think it was "ready".

Keeping a large pile turned regularly and kept evenly moist, it can be ready is a relatively short time, like 3 or 4 months as long as it has heated sufficiently and properly aerated.
Do you get professional soil tests of your garden AND your compost?
Every time I've had some compost that has a lot of chicken manure in it tested, it was already low on nitrogen. - Your results may vary.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Keeping a large pile turned regularly and kept evenly moist, it can be ready is a relatively short time, like 3 or 4 months as long as it has heated sufficiently and properly aerated.
Do you get professional soil tests of your garden AND your compost?
Every time I've had some compost that has a lot of chicken manure in it tested, it was already low on nitrogen. - Your results may vary.

I've got one of those store bought tests. Not really professional. I tested the soil last year at the beginning of the season. Potash was HIGH but everything else read about a 6. I added a fertilizer last year as well. I can test it again when the ground is thawed.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Every year I find myself on my hands and knees for hours pulling weeds in our 10'x10' garden. Then it rains for 3 to 5 days and I give up because the weeds are out of control and just start weeding around the plants and not doing between the rows. We like in a very wooded area so the weeds get out of control very fast. I've tried cardboard, newspaper, landscaping fabric...nothing works. The weeds grow back ON TOP of the landscaping fabric. The only thing I havent tried is mulch and I was contemplating it this year. My SO says I'm just being lazy but I dont think so (I dont see him pulling weeds ) Anyone have any advice on effective weed barriers? We refuse to use poison so please don't suggest that...although I'm sure it does wonders

Do you always use the same 10’ x 10’ plot or do you move it around? My chickens usually take care of all my weeds and then I’m able to throw down some mulch and just throw out seeds before the rain and it grows wonderfully.Next year you might try putting your chickens in the 10 x 10’ spot and letting them take care of the weeds.