Overgrown garden help

[333113]

Not really committed to any method at this point. Just one that works!

Have you heard about the Ruth Stout method for hay mulching? My dad had the book years ago. Basically, you cover everything with mulch that is so thick nothing will grow through it, then pull aside just enough to plant your seeds or plants. When the plants are big enough you tuck the mulch back up to the stalks. Keeps the soil moister so you don't have to water as much or as often.

 

[twigcrafter]

https://thegrownetwork.com/solarize-garden-soil/
this works great. but new weed seeds fly in quickly , so you will need to mulch thickly. I use grass clippings and age coop bedding.
happy gardening

 

[Searsmom]

Sounds like there's stuff scattered in there you want to keep. Landscaping cloth with crosses cut in it to go over the keepers and then tuck around the base of the plant? Mulch on top.
It even works for johnson grass for me if I catch it early enough.

 

[NightingaleJen]

You could give up one more summer and cover it with black plastic to "cook" the weeds and seeds. (and you could add some hot manure at this point so the heat will break it down under the plastic, and hopefully add to the inhospitable environment for the weeds).

If you can wait, this is probably your best bet. (Clear plastic will work too.) Then mulch heavily to keep those weeds from taking root!

Tilling ultimately harms the soil—the top layer will be fine for a while, but you're creating hardpan beneath, which causes more problems down the road. And yes, it'll pull up old weed seeds so they're closer to the surface and may germinate more easily.

We own wooded acreage and it's a ton of work we'll likely be dealing with for many years to come, so I feel your pain. The wild violets and Spring Beauty popping up in my flower beds I don't mind too much, but some of those weeds are plain evil!

 

[333113]

If you can wait, this is probably your best bet. (Clear plastic will work too.) Then mulch heavily to keep those weeds from taking root!

Tilling ultimately harms the soil—the top layer will be fine for a while, but you're creating hardpan beneath, which causes more problems down the road. And yes, it'll pull up old weed seeds so they're closer to the surface and may germinate more easily.

We own wooded acreage and it's a ton of work we'll likely be dealing with for many years to come, so I feel your pain. The wild violets and Spring Beauty popping up in my flower beds I don't mind too much, but some of those weeds are plain evil!

And what better source of "hot" manure than our beloved chickies!

 

[MarthaTheRooster]

I did that with both and it seemed to help at first but it’s almost as if the weeds just re rooted themselves and popped back up days later.

In my experience we always tilled two or three times then planted the garden. I also weed everything out weekly or biweekly.

 

[333113]

In my experience we always tilled two or three times then planted the garden. I also weed everything out weekly or biweekly.

I don't have a tiller. When I break in a new section of garden, I mow it as low as possible, cover it with 6-10 inches of chicken litter or compost, then cover it with black plastic for a month. Weeds are much easier for me to pull when they are in fertile soil.