Weeds

[ChrisS68]

I'm no gardener, and while my hop plants have struggled with the overly wet weather the past two seasons, the weeds have had no trouble encroaching on my hop mounds. With spring being around the corner (let's hope), I was wondering what are some good methods of keeping the weeds at bay. I've read about layers of newspaper under mulch and such. What say you?
Thanks!

 

[johnnyo1977]

could you use black weed cloth around the base of the plant to stop the weeds from growing?

 

[GVH_Dan]

We use a cover crop of clover...but before that takes hold we do a lot of hand weeding. I mean a lot.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Same here, cover crop of dutch white clover.

 

[fattymattybrewing]

If you are going to use cover crop (the idea is to choke out the competition) dry diversifying your cover crop to more than just 1 plant species. You may find that having more than just dutch white clover will provide a natural habitat for beneficial predatory insects. Try using lupines and clover or clover and yarrow or clover and black eyed susans.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

How is giving Susan a Black Eye gonna help with insects?

I'll try it, I just need something for the police after the wife calls them.

 

[ChrisS68]

thanks for the input folks!
I thought I'd just do the hand-weeding, but that just pissed off the weeds, and they'd come right back worse than before.

 

[fattymattybrewing]

thanks for the input folks!
I thought I'd just do the hand-weeding, but that just pissed off the weeds, and they'd come right back worse than before.

you must become one with your pests, diseases and weeds. Remember, weeds are just a term we have give to plants that we deem as a pain in the ass.

For more on information about making peace with your weeds, just google "companion planting" or check out this http://www.fattymattybrewing.com/directory/911.html section of links on my website about Organic / Sustainable / Permaculture Gardening ...

 

[Orangevango]

We use a cover crop of clover...but before that takes hold we do a lot of hand weeding. I mean a lot.

Hey dan, Do you by any chance have bees?

Ive got some hives that need a queen, and your mentioning of clover as a cover crop makes me want to see about getting clover for my hop-farm and starting up those hives!

 

[GVH_Dan]

Ha, just what nature provides. Actually, its something we had talked about but its low on the to-do list.

 

[winstonofbeer]

lawnmower clippings work really well.
If you have a garden, Just dont use the first couple clippings from the lawn if you use a crapgrass preventer. The grass will carry the chemical that prevents germination.

Good weed killer, and it makes good compost time it sits there all year.
Just keep adding to it.