roundup: To use or not to use

[JoePa]

I use Roundup around the property but not in the garden - so I'm half way in between - to Roundup or not to Roundup - that is the question - remember the old saying - man I forgot what is was but it was very good -

 

[Kdt1961]

We have changed out approach and are going to go with a permaculture approach(Mulch the top with wood chips, manure and newspaper and add on to it every year .

We do our entire property using permaculture and it works great. I wouldn't buy anything made by Monsanto.

 

[lazy gardener]

I vote: no Round-up!!! Especially any where you're going to be growing food. imo, even if round-up is harmless, it's a waste of time and money. as previous poster stated, weeds are every where and they are a constant battle. However, in my 400 s.f. garden, I spend less than 3 hours weeding per season. I might use my tiller once every 2 - 3 years, mostly if I'm breaking new ground. I don't need to water very often, my soil is friable, and getting blacker every year, I can get into the soil to plant way earlier than my neighbors who garden with naked soil, because the frost doesn't penetrate as deep, and my garden maintains perfect moisture content in the spring instead of being a mud pit as are the gardens of my neighbors who garden with naked soil. Instead, I keep my garden under 6" of mulch. I prefer straw, and recently put spoiled hay on half of the garden as an experiment. Straw has fewer seeds, but the price went up to $8.50/bale last season, while spoiled hay was 1.50/bale. The question is, what will that influx of seeds do to my garden? Any that sprout will be considered to be green manure, or chicken fodder. With the thick mulch, it shouldn't be a problem. You might want to read "The No Work Garden" by Ruth Stout. This is my first year with chickens (unless you count the ones I had 25 years ago), and their purpose is to help with Insect and weed control, tilling and fertilizing. Eggs will be an added bonus.