GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Jan Flora · 12-07-2007, 08:38 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible,rec.gardens

In article ,
Leythos wrote:

In article ,
says...
In article ,
Leythos wrote:

In article om,
says...
Roundup is systemic, it's primarilly applied to foilage but once in
the soil it is taken up by plant roots as well. These kind of
defolients need to be applied very carefully, it's real easy to have
over-spray of 50, 100 feet, and more. Even when the treated plants
die the defoliant is still in the dead plant and will remain potent
long after the plant is composted and its dust blows wherever. I used
to use roundup on my gravel driveway and around building foundations,
but no more, it also poisons the animals that eat the vegetation, the
insects, and even walk there. I'd rather live with some weeds...
those that encroach on my gardens I pull up by hand, use mulch, and
cultivate...

I grow my veggies in large buckets about 2' in diameter and 2' tall that
are in a mulched area, I spray the mulch monthly with weed killer, but
the plants are isolated from the ground by the buckets... This has
worked well for us, we can even move them as needed. Now if I could just
keep the dogs from picking the green tomato's before they ripen.

Hot wire.

I don't have AC power down there at this time, but it's an option. I was
using 3' high chicken wire, but they jump over it right now.

They make some dandy solar powered fence chargers these days.

A neighbor without power uses one to keep a wire around 15 acres
hot, to keep his horses in.

Jan