permaculture

[Mark <mpludwig@facstaff.wisc.edu>]

> A further design and construction weak point is leaving garden paths to
> grass. This is another weed entry point into the garden. Sometimes, paths
> are simply covered in cardboard, usually from boxes. This eventually breaks
> down and weeds reappear. Better to gravel or pave a path, especially if it
> is in a community garden where t will be heavily trafficed.
>
> ...Russ Grayson

This problem drove me positively bats at one site I managed.  I would dig 
out the quack in beds and watch it creep back in over a month.  I'm trying 
to get my whole garden area into white clover in order to crowd out the 
grass.  I am to the point where I have chucked the whole organic thing, 
spot spray the quack and bindweed and gone to the most aggressive white 
clover I could find, running counter to the conventional wisdom in living 
mulch circles.  Your other comments on the efforts people put into their 
pointless suburban lawnscapes is well taken.  I really am interested in 
harnessing  this inherent need people seem to have for puttering.  We need 
to get these folk putting that effort into PC designs before the place gets 
over grown with shade trees and ruined for a good design.
Mark


Mark P. Ludwig
Poultry Research Lab
University of Wisconsin -Madison
608-262-1730 WK
608-846-7125 HM