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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] path cover/green manure

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  • From: robert schuler <sunnfarm AT bellatlantic.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] path cover/green manure
  • Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2005 12:12:58 -0500

Years ago I laid out my farm in beds 20'x800' with 10' wide covered paths. I
used perennial ryegrass which worked well. The down side was that tractor
traffic caused deep ruts and the paths that I hoped could be permanent
needed to be redug leveled and seeded every year. Despite the cover,
perennial weeds like dandelion thistle and nutsedge had an easy time of
establishing themselves even with persistent mowing. These weeds can
establish themselves even if only allowed to grow two inches tall.
I tried clovers, they hold up better in dry weather, they come back after
rains and the stems are tough and resist traffic better than grass. They
need to be seeded in the fall or frost seeded in winter to get enough roots
to take off after planting time. They do a better job of crowing out weeds
than grass does. I tried vetch, it grow better than clover and provides a
tougher mat but walking on it is like tripping over shoe laces. The vines
are invasive.
Grains like oats and rye do not grow in the summer very well, they don't
like the summer heat from zone 6 south. Folks around here who farm on the
greensand marl soils use rye strips established over winter as alley ways
and as sand breaks from wind blown sand that destroys young seedlings. The
strips don't look pretty but are functional... Bob.
Sunny Meadow Farm
Bridgeton, NJ.





  • Re: [Market-farming] path cover/green manure, robert schuler, 03/01/2005

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