Flower bed preparation
 

I've cleared one of our raised beds in preparation for planting it up as a
'traditional' flower bed. While it's bare is there anything I can treat the
soil with that will kill off any dormant weeds that are bound to be lurking
in the soil.
Is this what serilising the soil with Jeyes fluid is all about ?

Thanks

Jim

Flower bed preparation
 

"JimM" wrote in message
...
I've cleared one of our raised beds in preparation for planting it up as a
'traditional' flower bed. While it's bare is there anything I can treat
the
soil with that will kill off any dormant weeds that are bound to be
lurking
in the soil.
Is this what serilising the soil with Jeyes fluid is all about ?

Thanks

Jim

There are three things that you will never see the last of in your garden

1 Weeds
2 Slugs/snails
3 Cat crap

Live with it. Depressing I know, but they're as inevitable as death and
taxes.

Steve

Flower bed preparation
 

On Sat, 25 Jan 2003 22:32:17 +0000, JimM wrote:

I've cleared one of our raised beds in preparation for planting it up as a
'traditional' flower bed. While it's bare is there anything I can treat the
soil with that will kill off any dormant weeds that are bound to be lurking
in the soil.
Is this what serilising the soil with Jeyes fluid is all about ?

Thanks

Jim
Why not use the stale seed bed technique and allow the weed seeds to
germinate, then cover the bed with black plastic, or something similar ie
hessian backed carpet, which will kill off the weeds without the need for
chemicals. If this is done each year, when the bed is prepared, you will
eventually reduce the seed bank within the soil, and would be keeping the
weeds under control organically.

Flower bed preparation
 

'Jim',

Don't treat the soil, just disturb it every now and again and that will
prevent the weeds from taking hold. Best to do it on a sunny day when
the weeds will not be able to take the strain. Weeds hate being
disturbed and that is your best and most effective line of attack.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.




JimM" wrote in message
...
I've cleared one of our raised beds in preparation for planting it up
as a
'traditional' flower bed. While it's bare is there anything I can
treat the
soil with that will kill off any dormant weeds that are bound to be
lurking
in the soil.
Is this what serilising the soil with Jeyes fluid is all about ?

Thanks

Jim

Flower bed preparation
 

Can't you just hoe it now and then? Works for me...


"JimM" wrote in message
...
: I've cleared one of our raised beds in preparation for planting it up as a
: 'traditional' flower bed. While it's bare is there anything I can treat
the
: soil with that will kill off any dormant weeds that are bound to be
lurking
: in the soil.
: Is this what serilising the soil with Jeyes fluid is all about ?
:
: Thanks
:
: Jim
:
:




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Flower bed preparation
 

Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a run over with the hoe every now and
then until I'm ready to plant it up. Not really a problem whilst it's clear
and it will give me a chance to improve my technique without decapitating
too many plants :)

Cheers
Jim



"Keymoo" wrote in message
...
Can't you just hoe it now and then? Works for me...


"JimM" wrote in message
...
: I've cleared one of our raised beds in preparation for planting it up as
a
: 'traditional' flower bed. While it's bare is there anything I can treat
the
: soil with that will kill off any dormant weeds that are bound to be
lurking
: in the soil.
: Is this what serilising the soil with Jeyes fluid is all about ?
:
: Thanks
:
: Jim
:
:




-----------== Posted via Newsfeed.Com - Uncensored Usenet News
==----------
http://www.newsfeed.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----= Over 100,000 Newsgroups - Unlimited Fast Downloads - 19 Servers
=-----

Flower bed preparation
 

On Sat, 25 Jan 2003 22:32:17 -0000, "JimM"
wrote:

I've cleared one of our raised beds in preparation for planting it up as a
'traditional' flower bed. While it's bare is there anything I can treat the
soil with that will kill off any dormant weeds that are bound to be lurking
in the soil.

If you can be patient, you can largely eliminate the weed seeds
by encouraging them to grow. Just keep watering and fertilizing
the bed, and every time a crop of new weed seedlings emerges,
cultivate them into oblivion. It is important to disturb the soil
and bring new seeds up to the surface, so you must cultivate more
thoroughly than just a light hoeing. This process may take all
summer, but it you intend the bed to be a permanent planting, the
results may be well worth a few months' delay. Besides, fall
planting is often considerered better than spring planting for
many things.

Many years ago (late 1970's or maybe early 1980's)the RHS Journal
published a brief note on the use of grain alcohol (ethanol) to
encourage weed seeds to germinate. Unfortunately, I have long
since lost the original article, but I think you diluted the
alcohol with several parts water, then sprinkled it on the soil.
The alcohol acts as a hormone that breaks dormancy and stimulates
germination. It has always struck me that using it in combination
with the water-feed-hoe regimen might come close to eradicating
all the weed seeds in soil.



Is this what serilising the soil with Jeyes fluid is all about ?

No. That's for microscopic pests.

--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada