To: Helga and Bert Dunn <helbert@idirect.com>, North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] 'non synthetic' herbicide
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:32:04 -0500
Anything that comes up fast and thick (so as to prevent the weeds from
germinating and crowd them out if they do), and that won't cause more
problems than it helps with, can be used as a smother crop. What works
best depends on your soils and climate, what season you have available
for the planting, and to some extent what you're trying to smother.
Buckwheat's great for short season in warm weather; it comes up in dry
or wet soil, only needs four to six weeks to accomplish something, and
is easy to till in. If you're trying to smother a coldweather weed,
winter rye may be useful. There are lots of other possibilities. Some
people use a mix including a nitrogen fixer, such as hairy vetch or
field peas.
If the smother (or other cover crop) goes to seed, it may establish as a
weed itself. If you already have very heavy weed pressure, this may not
be a huge problem, as if something's going to pop up anyway maybe it
might as well be more buckwheat; but it's a good thing to be aware of.
-- Rivka (Finger Lakes New York, zone 5 mostly)
On Monday, February 17, 2003, at 06:51 PM, Helga and Bert Dunn wrote:
Hello Gord
Please explain "smother crops". I have , it seems, more than my fair
share
of weeds Cheers Bert
Bert Dunn RR4 Tottenham Ont zone 4b
www.hardygrapes.tottenham.on.ca
THINK BLENDING, NOT VARIETALS