I've been fighting grass for years in my orchard. I've read that mowing / line trimming just encourages more weeds and grass.
I've tried,
Mulched covered cardboard.
Thick layers of wood chips.
Roto tilling swales and shoveling onto the berms. Always shoveling the soil to the down hill berm.
Geese and ducks to keep the grass down and manure.
Most of these work for awhile. What have you tried on a larger scale? My orchard is roughly 1/4 acre.
Eric
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The only thing I have had much success with is mulch covered newpaper. I used black newsprint 10 thick, overlapped and covered with 4 inches of mulch. Have to renew mulch on average about every 18 months. Took care of the grass, but not weeds seed that blows in from around the area, but they are super easy to pull, since they are shallow rooted. I have to admit to having trouble with 3 dandylions coming back, but the grass seems to be gone. Tried cardboard, but the grass came back between the pieces after about a year.
why not let the grass grow?
or perhaps try another seeding something else: vetch or clover or alfalfa?
I think I read in One straw revolution Mr. Fukuoka let grass grow in all his orchards, concequently many japanese orchard have grass instead of mulch.
I guess I'm saying think of it as a living mulch.
just an idea
or perhaps try another seeding something else: vetch or clover or alfalfa?
I think I read in One straw revolution Mr. Fukuoka let grass grow in all his orchards, concequently many japanese orchard have grass instead of mulch.
I guess I'm saying think of it as a living mulch.
just an idea
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[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Fuit%20and%20Nut%20Orchard/GardenorchardJune192012006.jpg[/img]
A little hard to see. If you look at the Aronia bush in the lower left of the photo, it's being choked with grass. I'm not talking lawn, but 3ft tall field grass. Grass steals nutrients and makes a nice vole hiding place. I've lost several trees to voles over the years.
I agree bare earth is never a good thing, but there are much better cover crops than grass. Clover is one, comfrey another. For me, the first step is to control the heavy grass.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Fuit%20and%20Nut%20Orchard/GardenorchardJune192012008.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Fuit%20and%20Nut%20Orchard/GardenorchardJune192012007.jpg[/img]
Heavy cardboard and 4" to 6" of horse manure.
Eric
A little hard to see. If you look at the Aronia bush in the lower left of the photo, it's being choked with grass. I'm not talking lawn, but 3ft tall field grass. Grass steals nutrients and makes a nice vole hiding place. I've lost several trees to voles over the years.
I agree bare earth is never a good thing, but there are much better cover crops than grass. Clover is one, comfrey another. For me, the first step is to control the heavy grass.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Fuit%20and%20Nut%20Orchard/GardenorchardJune192012008.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20Fuit%20and%20Nut%20Orchard/GardenorchardJune192012007.jpg[/img]
Heavy cardboard and 4" to 6" of horse manure.
Eric
The commercial orchards in my area have grass, which is mowed and left on the ground. My friend kept his apple and cherry orchards on his farm the same way. I don't know about the commercial orchadists, but the farmers keep a lot of cats and the occasional terrier or other ratter to help keep down the rodent population.
The grass in the orchards I've wandered through (called out about a sick or injured wild critter) have had grass about like a longish lawn, so I guess it's mowed fairly frequently.
The grass in the orchards I've wandered through (called out about a sick or injured wild critter) have had grass about like a longish lawn, so I guess it's mowed fairly frequently.
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Any luck yet Eric? In my small "orchard" (just a few trees) I have bermuda grass and I can not get rid of it. Their roots go down at least 4 feet so it is impossible to dig up and they gan grow through anything. I have a 4 foot hedge in my backyard and they grew up and through it with no light. They can easily go through weed block or cardboard or anything of that sort. The nickname devil's weed is well earned! I use gazanias as groundcover which choke out most things except this. This is part of my landscaping so it must look nice because it is easily viewed. I have been digging up the little plants when they come up hoping that eventually they will no longer have enough nutrients to keep coming up but it is not working. They only thing that ever has been mildly effective is roundup. Which don't get me wrong I hate using. I really despise the stuff and it pains me to use it at all let alone near a fruit tree. I don't spray anything closer than a few feet near the tree and I only spray the leaves of the one weed enough to kill it so hopefully it isn't to bad.