Controlling Weeds

[DeanRIowa]

I plan on digging, tilling and planting 4 rhizomes in a 9' by 9' area, with a center pole with one crossbar, 2 rhizomes each side(one type) for 4 total. Then I plan on topping with mulch.

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Do I need to control the weeds in the whole 9' by 9' planting area?

How do you control the weeds?

Can I till around the rhizomes?

Any secrets for weed control after year one?



thanks,
Dean

 

[lump42]

For that small of an area, your most cost-effective option is to use a non-selective herbicide as an initial burn down application. Then turn the soils that will be planted. Mulch the whole area fairly heavily (3-4") wood chips, arborist trimmings are fine and cheap. It's best not to till directly around the rhizomes after they're planted, it will damage the rhizomes and roots. There are no secrets to weed control anywhere. Maintain the mulch layer. Hand pull weeds when they are young. Easiest method.

 

[BrewInspector]

I'm no farmer but I do grow hops. Mine are already established.

I do little or nothing about weeds. Mine are just starting to sprout through the hay I had placed over them for the winter. (Time to trim back those first sprouts)

I just used a weed eater around the garden to cut the weeds back. I will hand pull any right at the hop plant base that grow over 8"or so at the beginning of the growing season mostly so that I can see excess hop sprout growth that I may want to encourage or cut back. After that the hops will out perform the weeds so I do nothing about them the rest of the year.

If you fertilize the hops you will also fertilize the weeds so they do get pretty hardy looking if you ignore them. I will pull or cut weeds that obscure the plant base to avoid fungal issues.

Don't till anywhere near them once planted. There would be rizomes everywhere that would be cut, torn , damaged and pulled. I occasionally dig up some rizomes away from the main plant and cut them for planting elsewhere or to give away to others. They are easy enough to start that way.

 

[schematix]

Spray anything that is green with Roundup. It'll die.

 

[DeanRIowa]

Spray anything that is green with Roundup. It'll die.

Roundup, I am bit worried about drift and killing the hops.


I think I might put a layer cardboard down and cover with mulch in the non planting areas.

Thank you for the information.

Dean

 

[Leezer]

+1 to heavy mulch layer, I use wood chips as mentioned above. Also use them around my raised garden beds. Made my life sooooo much easier. Just have to pull the occasional weed the manages to break through.

 

[Apimyces]

For such a small area, take a shovel and a hoe, flex some muscles. Then you can use some mulch to keep things under control.

I can understand commercial growers that need to use herbicides to keep production costs under control, but in the backyard? That's just lazy and irresponsible.

 

[lump42]

Roundup, I am bit worried about drift and killing the hops.


I think I might put a layer cardboard down and cover with mulch in the non planting areas.

Thank you for the information.

Dean

The cardboard and mulch by themselves will likely kill the majority grass and weeds. I would only use the roundup to kill everything before planting. If you have any tenacious perennial weeds, I use a disposable foam brush and paint the herbicide on the weeds. If it gets away from you during the season, place cardboard around the bines, and then spray the weeds using lower pressure and coarse spray. It will severely limit any drift. Herbicides are useful tools, as long as one reads and follows the label directions.

 

[Beer Nuts]

Just have to pull the occasional weed that manages to break through.

I was going to say get a high powered laser.
Your plan is better.

 

[Wesmando]

Herbicides are poison. Mulches work great, however have issues as well. One year, i used straw, not a weed but mice moved in and devoured crowns and bines. I been using black woven plastic mulch, but i have noticed burrow holes so i have to combat those guys. I also heard plastic mulches harbor downy mildew. I have been planting mustard in drive rolls as a biofumigant to deal with that.

 

[Wesmando]

Herbicides are poison. Mulches work great, however have issues as well. One year, i used straw, not a weed but mice moved in and devoured crowns and bines. I been using black woven plastic mulch, but i have noticed burrow holes so i have to combat those guys. I also heard plastic mulches harbor downy mildew. I have been planting mustard in drive rolls as a biofumigant to deal with that.

Drive rows

 

[smata67]

I was just talking to a master gardener a day or two ago about weeds in the garden and she said you can't beat newspaper, keeps the sun from getting to the weed seeds.

 

[DeanRIowa]

Drive rows

One definition I was able to find, but not hops specific:
"Rows are typically laid out on eight or nine foot centers between rows in rows of six. A drive row or “heap row” of approximately 12 feet in width is left open after each sixth row to allow access for pest and disease management."

I was just talking to a master gardener a day or two ago about weeds in the garden and she said you can't beat newspaper, keeps the sun from getting to the weed seeds.

Newspaper might be easier to work with to be honest.

thanks,
Dean

 

[501irishred]

+1 on the newspaper. By now you may have already found out the hard way, but a couple tips that may come in handy when laying out the paper. 1) It may seem obvious, but wind is your enemy, and an extremely calm day is paramount. 2) It takes a lot more paper than you might think. To maintain its effectiveness, plan on somewhere around 1/4 to even a 1/2" thick (thickest where you will be walking on it), overlapping as you go. 3) Spray with water as you go to help everything lay down and keep a little bit of wind at bay. 4) Cover all paper with mulch or your neighbors will be picking up your "weed barrier" from there yards.....

My favorite part of this method is at the end of the season, everything can be turned under and composed for next year!