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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Buckwheat in Asparagus
  • Date: Mon, 23 May 2011 08:54:02 -0400

Buckwheat is a great smother crop. It will, however, go to seed if given half a chance. The volunteer buckwheat is easier to weed out than most of its potential competitors; but this is something to be aware of.

Buckwheat also won't, as you probably know, produce the nitrogen that soybeans will; though it is reputed to be a great scavenger of P, and will bring this into more available form for other crops.

I know people who plant purslane in their asparagus beds; it doesn't grow as tall as the buckwheat might. I keep meaning to toss some freshly weeded up purslane in the asparagus after tilling the beds after harvest (it's a fairly common weed in my fields, but for some reason hasn't invaded the asparagus on its own), but haven't gotten to it yet. I might try it this year if the timing works out. Or maybe I should try your friend's soybeans idea; I do have some cover crop soybean seed around.

If you do try the buckwheat, please let us know how it works!


-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale


On May 23, 2011, at 1:24 AM, grizzdover AT gmail.com wrote:

Hello All,

I am wondering about folks experience using buckwheat. I have a co- hort that over seeds soybeans in his asparagus patch after he is done harvesting it for the season with promising results of "out competing" alot of weeds. I, unfortunately, have not ordered any soybean seed to replicate his experience and am considering doing something similar with buckwheat. I'm thinking after the final harvest of asparagus and mowing it all down, lightly discing or tilling and over seeding buckwheat hoping to get some of the same smothering effect of predominately perennial weeds (Canadian Thistle and Curly Dock mostly) as he is getting with soy beans. I understand that buckwheat may inhibit thistle seed germination, but am wondering what effect it may have on already established perennial weeds. We are Certified Organic, so my "arsenal" for "dealing" with weeds is alittle constricted : ). I would appreciate hearing any thoughts on buckwheat as well as any other ideas that would jive with a Certified Organic model to deal with perennial weeds in asparagus.

Thanks in advance,

Ben Saunders
Farm Manager
Turtle Farm
Certified Organic Fruits and Veggies










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