Subject: Re: [permaculture] Busting Up Sidewalks / Invasive Plants
Date: Mon, 09 Sep 2002 09:25:04 -0700
I too have heard Bill's story about busting up concrete with legume seeds. I
think it'd be a good thing to try if you owned some new lava flow on Hawaii.
For busting up sidewalks, I favor two humans, a 5 ft. pry bar and an 8 lb.
sledge. Lower tech than a concrete drill (unless you have the machismo to do
it with a star point and 2lb. hammer) but best of all, you can easily obtain
re-usable building stone or flags for a new walk or patio. ("urbanite") One
person pries up on the slab, the other strikes at the desired breaking
point. And, you get to sing & work together. It's not hard; as Bill Mollison
would say, even women & vegetarians can do it.
>>> Makes a great browse for goats & sheep [Japanese knotweed]
It's a good nectary plant too, and I assume, being as it's a deep-rooted
buckwheat, that it has terrific value in composts. I have used it for top
mulch too. A temporary chicken run will knock it for a loop if you want to
eliminate it, this I have seen.