permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>]

Looks like the 3 acres of volunteer winter rye has been replaced with curly dock, 
nicely mulched with 6"-12" of rye.
Other weeds growing within the dock seem stunted and less in number than they 
otherwise would be. I am wondering if it exerts allelopathic
effects on competing plants.

Is curly dock a perennial? Does it have food (maybe it has high levels of 
oxalic acid) or forage value?
The seeds it sets are abundant and probably long lived in the soil.

So far it looks to be an incredibly worthwhile cover crop and soil builder, especially since it is growing in the thick bed of mulch left 
behing by the rye, with a long heavy taproot and lots of thick, dark green, dense, low lying foliage shading the ground, keeping it cool and 
moist.

It looks easy to control with digging, tillage or plowing. Seeds will be around in great number for a long time but future generations of 
seedlings and plants are easy to remove. I wonder at what depth the taproot needs to be cut to prevent regeneration of foliage.

I am thinking of leaving it as permanent cover, to alternate with the rye 
that will inevitably follow and flourish for over eight months
alongside it. When I need more space for crops of trees I can easily remove portions of it, For the long haul it may keep other problem 
weeds in check, protect and build the soil aand help control erosion on slopes. Along the bottoms of all existing slops where it is growing 
I have drilled hundreds of 3' diameter X 2-5' holes with skid loader and auger. This array of mini catchments collect water and nutrients
are a breeding habitat for frogs and provide food and water for dragonflies, bats and other wildlife. Algae growing in the water adds 
fertility to the surrounding area. I've seen a few box turtles languishing in some of the shallower pools.


--
L.F.London
lfl@intrex.net
http://market-farming.com
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech