permaculture

["Kevin Topek" <ktopek@houston.rr.com>]

Dieter & Tom,

Crabgrass is a real nusiance for us on the Gulf Coast of Texas. I have
observed that it will not thrive in areas mulched with partially rotted
wood. With that in mind, I have been controlling it in my business practice
using partially decomposed wood mulch. The mulch ties up nutrients that were
in the top layer of soil, smothers the crabgrass and leaches a tannic acid
that will not allow the crabgrass to thrive. If possible, it is best to
remove as much of the surface layer grass and rhizomes as practicable before
applying the wood mulch. Leaf mold mulch and hay mulch will not work as well
as partially decomposed wood mulch. It has worked for me!

Kevin Topek

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Golodik" <t.golodik@verizon.net>
To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2007 11:21 AM
Subject: Re: [permaculture] Controlling crab grass


> According to Charles Walters, in the second edition of his book "Weeds:
> Control Without Poisons," the presence of crabgrass indicates soil low in
> calcium that cannot support molds that begin the decay process.  He
suggests
> calcium lime and sulphur or gypsum to adjust pH.  Effects will be seen
> quickly.  I recommend the book highly.
>
> Cheers,
> Tom Golodik
> Closter, NJ
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dieter Brand" <diebrand@yahoo.com>
> To: <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 10:38 AM
> Subject: [permaculture] Controlling crab grass
>
>
> Hi,
>
>   I'm not sure if the term "crab grass" is used in the US. Anyway, it is
>   the kind of grass that propagates by whitish rhizomes underground,
>   by runners on the surface and by seeds. It is extremely invasive during
>   the summer and goes dormant during the winter.
>
>   Whenever I dig out some of this grass from my vegetable garden I'm
>   astonished by the quality of the soil which seems to be far superior in
>   places with crab grass than in places without. I always regret having
>   to disturb the soil and thereby destroying its structure in addition to
>   removing the organic matter of the grass itself.
>
>   Hence I wonder, is there any way of controlling crab grass, for example
>   by crowding out or by means of allelophatic properties? Or better still,
>   are there any crops that can compete with crab grass during the
>   summer, which would allow me to leave the grass in the soil?
>
>   Dieter Brand
>   Portugal
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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