On 23 Apr 2007 22:29:00 -0700, raycruzer wrote:


Sometimes I wonder why people buy large lots and don't expect to work
in their gardens? There are plenty of condos and apartments for those
who don't wish to spend a couple of hours a week tending to their
gardens.

Some people actually enjoy weeding and doing other garden chores! Do
you believe it?

If you think you need a better long handled tool for weeding you'll
find plenty on the web with your favorite search engine that can pull
and twist out weeds without tweeking your back.

----
At Peace with Weeds...

The trick, while hard work, is to pull weeds out before they go to
seed. The use of corn gluten meal at the proper times will cut down
on seedlings making it much past germination.

I have tons of weeds, especially hackberry, and I now have this really
cool tool with a very thin, sharp rectangular metal piece which cuts
the weeds off at the ground level. Some weeds with taproots, like
dandelion are going to come back from any root left, but use of this
cultivation tool greatly cuts down on the need to bend and hand weed.

To garden is a verb. Many people only take it far enough to get the
plant in the ground and water it. Actually preparing soil, digging,
breaking up clods, adding compost, etc. are not part of most people's
gardening experience. As I get older and my body slows and I can't do
anywhere near what I once could do, it frustrates me that able bodied
people want the short way out.

I do deeply want to get out there every day and garden and I can't.
When I say I garden laying down, it is not an exaggeration. Many days
I've weeded laying down, praying one of the many dozens of snakes in
our yard won't scare me to death! They aren't poisonous or dangerous,
just fast.

So go, garden, bend and weed, buy a good weed cultivation tool with a
flat blade fo cut the stems at the soil level and enjoy your ability.
It doesn't last forever.

On Apr 24, 5:54 am, Jangchub wrote:
On 23 Apr 2007 22:29:00 -0700, raycruzer wrote:

Sometimes I wonder why people buy large lots and don't expect to work
in their gardens? There are plenty of condos and apartments for those
who don't wish to spend a couple of hours a week tending to their
gardens.

Some people actually enjoy weeding and doing other garden chores! Do
you believe it?

If you think you need a better long handled tool for weeding you'll
find plenty on the web with your favorite search engine that can pull
and twist out weeds without tweeking your back.

----
At Peace with Weeds...

The trick, while hard work, is to pull weeds out before they go to
seed. The use of corn gluten meal at the proper times will cut down
on seedlings making it much past germination.

I have tons of weeds, especially hackberry, and I now have this really
cool tool with a very thin, sharp rectangular metal piece which cuts
the weeds off at the ground level. Some weeds with taproots, like
dandelion are going to come back from any root left, but use of this
cultivation tool greatly cuts down on the need to bend and hand weed.

To garden is a verb. Many people only take it far enough to get the
plant in the ground and water it. Actually preparing soil, digging,
breaking up clods, adding compost, etc. are not part of most people's
gardening experience. As I get older and my body slows and I can't do
anywhere near what I once could do, it frustrates me that able bodied
people want the short way out.

I do deeply want to get out there every day and garden and I can't.
When I say I garden laying down, it is not an exaggeration. Many days
I've weeded laying down, praying one of the many dozens of snakes in
our yard won't scare me to death! They aren't poisonous or dangerous,
just fast.

So go, garden, bend and weed, buy a good weed cultivation tool with a
flat blade fo cut the stems at the soil level and enjoy your ability.
It doesn't last forever.

I have also used long-handled weeders to clear a large hillside of
weeds and to keep the weeds from adjacent wild lots at bay for many
years.

To find a helpful guide for selecting a weed hand tool or tools that
meet your requirements, you can Google or Yahoo! 'classify weeders'.
Different weeds and situations can be matched with different types of
weed tools, including those that use power and those that can be used
on lawns or to scrape out weeds in cracks of sidewalks.

Enjoy your weeding work. After all, a little work won't kill ya!

-------
At peace with weeds...

On Tue, 24 Apr 2007 17:32:04 +0100, Janet Baraclough
wrote:


I think you're talking about a hoe :-)

Yes, but I couldn't think of what type; now I found out, it's the
second one from the left at this website:

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/s...ubcategory=631


Some years back in uk.rec.gardening, there was a regular poster who
was unable to walk but still gardened her own flower and veg beds lying
on a thing her son made for her, like a surfboard on wheels, or a giant
skateboard. She used to lie belly down on it and scoot it along with her
hands.

My knees and hips are getting creakier so I now now use a gardeners
padded kneeling pad with two arms. I use it as shown in the pic, the
arms are great for levering myself up again. , but you can also turn it
the other way up as a higher seat. You might find one useful if they
are available over there

http://www.activemobility.co.uk/shop..._334_1785f.jpg

Janet.

Yes, they do sell them here, but I cannot kneel at all on my left
knee. I put a call in to the orthopedist today to find out what the
next step is. I can't take drugs daily, and I can't take this
limitation, so I have to examine it all. I do own this:

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS...p?pn=100388263

Which does help a bit. I bought mine at a Lowes box store for 20
dollars. What it doesn't help with are the times when I want to line
a new bed with dry stack limestone, or lift things our of the ground
with a shovel. I can't put any pressure on my leg to get any leverage
using any foot put tool. Eh, old age is coming sooner than it should,
but I should be dead and I'm not. That is a miracle.

"EvilGoddessFragileWarrior"
wrote in message ...
Johnny wrote in
oups.com:

On Apr 22, 4:22 pm, "** Frank **" wrote:
Short of pouring concrete slab over it, nothing seems to work as
weeds will grow back in a few weeks, few days if we have rain. Then
even with a concrete slab, weeds will grow in the control joints or
in the cracks. Neither weed wacker, tiller or poison works as weeds
will come back in a few weeks. Weeds growing under and above no weed
fabric, LOL. Put in two layers no weed fabric, the commercial stuff,
only works if there is enough bark or mulch blocking off the
sunlight. Bricks and patio pavers, weeds growing between the joints.

What is a good way to control weeds and what works for you?

How about applying vinegar? I have had good success using it.
http://raised-garden-bed.com/chapt2.html

Johnny



How about weeding? Getting in there with good tools, on hands and knees,
and actually pulling out the roots/tubers/stolons/? THEN apply your mulch
and other coverage.

I've done that with a pick ax and than pull out the roots one by one. The
pick ax is the only hand tool that will work, as the ground is almost as
hard as concrete. Weeds came right back in a few months.

I'm on my second gas string trimmer cutting off the weeds at the ground
level and than vacuum it off with a lawn mower. Need to replete this process
every few weeks. All nonsense busy work taking much need time from doing
other things like fixing 7hp Troy-Bilt tiller so I could really go after the
weeds.

I'm installing a greenhouse to keep the blown in weed seeds out. The
remaining area I will do a raised bed to have better control of the weeds
and around it either concrete or stone pavers. Wife and I are getting old so
I'm doing this for her while I still can. Weeds be gone, hopefully most of
it anyway.

"raycruzer" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Apr 23, 7:59 pm, "Manelli Family" wrote:
"EvilGoddessFragileWarrior"

wrote in .com...





Johnny wrote in
roups.com:

On Apr 22, 4:22 pm, "** Frank **" wrote:
Short of pouring concrete slab over it, nothing seems to work as
weeds will grow back in a few weeks, few days if we have rain. Then
even with a concrete slab, weeds will grow in the control joints or
in the cracks. Neither weed wacker, tiller or poison works as weeds
will come back in a few weeks. Weeds growing under and above no weed
fabric, LOL. Put in two layers no weed fabric, the commercial stuff,
only works if there is enough bark or mulch blocking off the
sunlight. Bricks and patio pavers, weeds growing between the joints.

What is a good way to control weeds and what works for you?

How about applying vinegar? I have had good success using it.
http://raised-garden-bed.com/chapt2.html

Johnny

How about weeding? Getting in there with good tools, on hands and
knees,
and actually pulling out the roots/tubers/stolons/? THEN apply your
mulch
and other coverage.

Many of these suggestions are fine for smaller areas, but some of us have
large gardens, long driveways and walkways. We'd be spending 24/7 picking
weeds and grubbing out their roots and tubers.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Sometimes I wonder why people buy large lots and don't expect to work
in their gardens? There are plenty of condos and apartments for those
who don't wish to spend a couple of hours a week tending to their
gardens.

Some properties would require much more than couple of hours a week. Where
I live everyone has large lots of from 1 to 10 acres. Some people can
afford to hire yard help, some can't.


Some people actually enjoy weeding and doing other garden chores! Do
you believe it?

I love working in the garden! But I don't have hours and hours to devote to
pulling out weeds nor can we afford to hire yard help.


If you think you need a better long handled tool for weeding you'll
find plenty on the web with your favorite search engine that can pull
and twist out weeds without tweeking your back.

----
At Peace with Weeds...

"** Frank **" wrote in message
. ..

I'm installing a greenhouse to keep the blown in weed seeds out. The
remaining area I will do a raised bed to have better control of the weeds
and around it either concrete or stone pavers. Wife and I are getting old
so I'm doing this for her while I still can. Weeds be gone, hopefully most
of it anyway.

What green house are you buying? We have a small 6X8' HFGH and just ordered
a larger 8.5 X 16.5 Rion. What a pleasure owning a greenhouse is.

"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"** Frank **" wrote in message
. ..

I'm installing a greenhouse to keep the blown in weed seeds out. The
remaining area I will do a raised bed to have better control of the weeds
and around it either concrete or stone pavers. Wife and I are getting old
so I'm doing this for her while I still can. Weeds be gone, hopefully
most of it anyway.

What green house are you buying? We have a small 6X8' HFGH and just
ordered a larger 8.5 X 16.5 Rion. What a pleasure owning a greenhouse is.

Its this one:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93358

Much cheaper than your Rion but needed modification so the wind won't carry
it to the neighbor's backyard. I just broke ground and about to pour a
concrete foundation over this weekend. Had to remove a tree stump first. I'm
knocking my brains out as to how to anchor this sucker so that I could
relocate it later.

My knees and hips are getting creakier so I now now use a gardeners
padded kneeling pad with two arms. I use it as shown in the pic, the
arms are great for levering myself up again. , but you can also turn it
the other way up as a higher seat. You might find one useful if they
are available over there

http://www.activemobility.co.uk/shop..._334_1785f.jpg

Janet.

When I was looking for a retirement home for mom, I saw some raised flower
beds for the retirees such that they could pull the wheelchairs or walkers
next to it without bending over to manage their plots.

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "** Frank **" contains these words:


"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"** Frank **" wrote in message
. ..

I'm installing a greenhouse to keep the blown in weed seeds out. The
remaining area I will do a raised bed to have better control of the
weeds
and around it either concrete or stone pavers. Wife and I are
getting old
so I'm doing this for her while I still can. Weeds be gone, hopefully
most of it anyway.

What green house are you buying? We have a small 6X8' HFGH and just
ordered a larger 8.5 X 16.5 Rion. What a pleasure owning a greenhouse
is.

Its this one:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93358

Much cheaper than your Rion but needed modification so the wind won't
carry
it to the neighbor's backyard. I just broke ground and about to pour a
concrete foundation over this weekend. Had to remove a tree stump
first. I'm
knocking my brains out as to how to anchor this sucker so that I could
relocate it later.

Easy. Drill holes on all 4 sides of the bottom frame rectangle of
the GH. Then, before the concrete foundation, press in some screw bolts,
facing up, matching where the holes will sit. Make sure you get them
absolutely matching the holes, and upright. When the concrete found has
set. place the GH base over the sticking -up bolts and screw down some
big nuts to secure it. When you want to move it, all you have to do is
unscrew the nuts.

Janet.

This wouldn't be a problem if the base were strong and wide enough to accept
a bolt gracefully. As is, the base is of thin gauge metal, 22 or 20 gauge
steel, and very flexible so I'm sure it couldn't withstand wind loading such
as shear and pullout moment without some stiffening or modification. I may
end up burying the base in concrete as it was designed to be buried anyway.

On Apr 24, 7:11 pm, "Manelli Family" wrote:
"raycruzer" wrote in message

ups.com...





On Apr 23, 7:59 pm, "Manelli Family" wrote:
"EvilGoddessFragileWarrior"

wrote in .com...

Johnny wrote in
roups.com:

On Apr 22, 4:22 pm, "** Frank **" wrote:
Short of pouring concrete slab over it, nothing seems to work as
weeds will grow back in a few weeks, few days if we have rain. Then
even with a concrete slab, weeds will grow in the control joints or
in the cracks. Neither weed wacker, tiller or poison works as weeds
will come back in a few weeks. Weeds growing under and above no weed
fabric, LOL. Put in two layers no weed fabric, the commercial stuff,
only works if there is enough bark or mulch blocking off the
sunlight. Bricks and patio pavers, weeds growing between the joints.

What is a good way to control weeds and what works for you?

How about applying vinegar? I have had good success using it.
http://raised-garden-bed.com/chapt2.html

Johnny

How about weeding? Getting in there with good tools, on hands and
knees,
and actually pulling out the roots/tubers/stolons/? THEN apply your
mulch
and other coverage.

Many of these suggestions are fine for smaller areas, but some of us have
large gardens, long driveways and walkways. We'd be spending 24/7 picking
weeds and grubbing out their roots and tubers.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Sometimes I wonder why people buy large lots and don't expect to work
in their gardens? There are plenty of condos and apartments for those
who don't wish to spend a couple of hours a week tending to their
gardens.

Some properties would require much more than couple of hours a week. Where
I live everyone has large lots of from 1 to 10 acres. Some people can
afford to hire yard help, some can't.



Some people actually enjoy weeding and doing other garden chores! Do
you believe it?

I love working in the garden! But I don't have hours and hours to devote to
pulling out weeds nor can we afford to hire yard help.





If you think you need a better long handled tool for weeding you'll
find plenty on the web with your favorite search engine that can pull
and twist out weeds without tweeking your back.

----
At Peace with Weeds...- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

If I had acres of land and were unable to keep up with the weeds, I
would seriously consider converting my lawn and garden to native
plants and ground covers. Native plant gardens require less
resources, less irrigation, less maintenance, less weeding, less
costs. Of course, there is the initial cost of ripping out your lawn,
or part of it, and purchasing, finding, planting native plants.

If you wish to investigate this option, search for 'lawn conversion'
with your favorite search engine.

There may also be some useful suggestions from IPM advisors at your
university extension. This may involve a more thorough strategy on
preventing pests and weeds from coming your way in the first place
without necessarily relying so much on dangerous chems.

Or you can sell your acreage to your kids and buy a condo?

The work of weeds is tough at times, I admit, but hard work can also
help us stay healthy, even with arthritis and other problems we older
folks suffer from. There's no health benefit that I know of from
watching TV or flipping through magazines, or playing bingo!

If weeding is boring to you, you can also look for weed poetry on the
web to help inspire you?

-----
At peace with weeds!