Market Farming

[Steve Diver <steved AT ncat.org>]

Hi David -

The observation on garlic chives for weed suppression
is a result of buying an organic farm that I've lived
at and maintained for six years.  

The previous farmers grew crops on an upper field
(this is the Ozarks, with sloping land interrupted by
mostly level "benches") where asparagus, mint, and
garlic chives have persisted with zero inputs.  

Each year when I'm brush-hogging and working around
these low-maintenance crops, I have observed that garlic
chives have a unique zone of weed suppression.  

There are two ideas for practical use that come to mind.

One idea is to intercrop veggies or herbs in the alleyway
between rows of garlic chives.  Perhaps garlic chives
can be planted around perennial bushes and trees. It
opens the door for permacultural style intercropping.   

The other idea is to make a plant extract out of garlic
chives and spray it on the soil for weed suppression.

In fact, there is research literature on plant extracts
for weed control, so the second idea is especially
appealing.  There are many ways to make plants
extracts, with different recipes and methods.  But
once the extract is made it is easy to spray onto
freshly cultivated soils.

Weed "suppression" is sometimes all you need
to get a crop up to full canopy.

Regards,

Steve Diver

P.S.

The grass-suppressing plants query was on the permaculture list.
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture