Gardening question

[domromer]

The garden is 20ft x 50ft

 

[Wildsky]

There is no magic answer - it will take some work, thats pretty much why some folk prefer to BUY their veggies....

I'm actually not sure what kind of an answer you're looking for - do you want an animal to come in and eat the weeds? Or do you want to spray poison?

What would suit you and your garden?

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

I turn my garden and weed though out the year I let the chickens loose in it , they eat the worms while I turn the soil then scratch away so by the time I am ready to plant it is pretty free of weeds but it seems you never get rid of all of them.

 

[domromer]

I wasn't sure how people clear a plot. I've seen black plastic layed down before. I thought maybe thats what people did, or there was a special tool that clears grass and weeds. I'm not looking for any specific answer I just wanted to know what other people would do to clear a spot for their garden. No, I don't want to use chemical and I'm not against labor. I'd just like to do it the most efficient way possible.

 

[fosterchick]

In the early spring I put in all my chicken poop and turn the soil. Then I put lawn fabric down to kill the weeds and grass. I start my seeds inside. Then when I plant the plants I just cut a hole in the fabric (or black plastic). This way I don't have to weed the garden. After the garden has gone by then I will pick up the fabric and start all over.

 

[PitterPaws]

I have layed Black Plastic down in a small plot I wanted to start with flowers. and there were weeds and grass in the spot, I left the black plastic down about 4 to 7 days, and all the weeds and grass were brown and dead. so then all I had to do was remove them, I also turned the ground so the grass wouldn't start growing again. Hope this helps! Good Luck!

 

[devora]

Quote:
Yup, I my 'shill detector' went off immediately.

 

[gardener]

You can try planting cover crops in the late summer it helps keep weeds from taking over. But you will have to cut it down and turn it into the soil in the spring.
You can also use a thick layer of mulch to keep the weeds from getting sunlight to sprout and grow. Both the mulch and the cover crop will keep the soil from being compacted by the winter rains, but with the mulch cover you will not need to till, which means you can plant when temps permits instead of waiting until you can work and till a soil that may be a little too moist to work.
A really good mulch would be a thick layer of leaves or the chicken litter/shavings from the coop which will help fertilize it also.

 

[domromer]

I think I'm going to get out there with a hoe and clear as much as I can, and then lay down some weed barrier fabric.

 

[gardener]

You will have a much better soil if you just use a thick layer of mulch instead. I think the weed fabric will be kind of a hassle. But it would be a good idea to remove the larger weeds before laying mulch down.