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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] mulching pathways

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  • From: Richard Stewart <rstewart AT zoomtown.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] mulching pathways
  • Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2011 09:05:40 -0500

We use wood chips with 2 layers of cardboard in our herb beds.  THis seems to be the single best weed control.  We then occasionally spray with a 20% vinegar solution something we will be scaling up a bit on our rows of grapes as a growth inhibitor for other plants in the rows.  I would not use wood chips in an area I would be planting in over the next year.  We have also begun experimenting using buckwheat hulls and and all the stems and pods from our 2 acres black bean harvest.

If you do not need to move in the rows the best thing is a cover crop.  I would go as far to suggest building your raised beds in fall with a winter rye or using buckwheat.

You could also have an acre or two to plant in a tall rye. Wait till it matures, but cut before it develops a seed head and round bale.  Use the round bale and role it between the rows.  You'll need to redesign the spacing to accommodate but I would think this would work quite well.

I just got back from the OEFFA Conference and attended all the organic grain production seminars and there is very cool stuff being done with cover crops and understanding how YOU changing your soil biology and mineral content seriously effects the type of weeds you get.

Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm
North Bend, Ohio

An Ohio Century Farm Est. 1855

(513) 967-1106




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