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  • From: venaurafarm <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Permaculture Activist Issue #87
  • Date: Mon, 05 Nov 2012 10:29:05 -0500

On 11/5/2012 9:59 AM, John Wages wrote:
The upcoming issue of the Permaculture Activist focuses on weeds
("Weeds to the Rescue"). How are these exuberant plants best
integrated into a permaculture system? How can we deal with the more
problematic ones (think rhizome-spreading Johnsongrass and
bermudagrass)? Articles on specific edibles, systems for making
weed-ferment compost tea, uses of specific weeds in composting, weedy
insectary plants, ways to deplete the weed seed bank, systems that
use pigs, chickens, ducks, and of course, weeder geese, long-term
weed control for broadscale farm management, novel applications of
mulch, living mulches, nitrogen-fixing or tap-rooted weeds for
regeneration of depleted soils, etc., are of interest...as well as
more imaginative definitions of "weeds" (animals, insects, parasites,
perhaps stretching the theme to invisible weedy structures).

If you have expertise, experience, or perspective, please consider
writing for this issue. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 1.
Contact the editor directly at wagesjm@gmail.com

John

John Wages Editor, Permaculture Activist

Well, here are some ideas we can develop further right here, with input from others. Edit and add them to your article directly.

Many weeds like turnip, mustard gone wild and crossbred are best left in place in gardens left fallow for a year to regenerate. They set large roots which aerate and tilth the soil. When they rot they leave large holds that can fill with humus. If wild mustard and turnip is left to go to seed in a garden the next year will see an enormous crop
of these plants. Let them grow all season and scythe the tops before they form viable seeds. Leave mulch on the ground to rot and fill holes left by the decomposed roots.

Pennsylvania Smartweed should be left to grow in edge zones as it is a decoy plant for Japanese beetles.

Wild burdock, greater and lesser are excellent soil builders. Roots on the edible greater burdock can extent two feet or more underground tilthing and aerating the soil, especially if left to rot, unharvested, the huge leaves shade the ground conserving moisture and preventing many other weeds from growing underneath.

Use light tillage to bring portions of the weed seed bank to the surface for germination and removal for recycling. When cropping in well prepared garden soil with large weed colonies, till lightly, plant the crop then pull weeds that germinate and emerge. There will be less of them than when deep tilling prior to planting and food crop will still do well. This is one of the benefits of no or minimum till gardening.

Look at the work of Masanobu Fukuoka and the Natural Farming
methods he developed over the course of a lifetime. Many good ideas can be dreived from his system. There are books, photographs and videos that demonstrate his methods. See especially the Fukuoka subgroup at Permies.com and read commentary by Larry Korn who worked at Fukuoka's farm and knows how his system works. This is described in that subforum.

Can others add to this list and keep the thread circulating?

I will add much more myself as it is one of my favorite topics. I have have arrived at methods that I have put into practice on my farm. I have seen amazing results especially with regard to getting rid of problem weeds interfering with food cropping. I will upload photographs you can use also.

Dieter, Daniel, John?

LL





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