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Organic farming. Taming the weeds

Organic farming provides an ecologically sustainable way to grow food by eliminating or significantly reducing the use of synthetic chemicals, fertilizers, and pesticides. Taming the weeds by using organic methods is essential to having a healthy soil and resilient crops, with advantages such as improved soil structure, fewer pest outbreaks and more resilient plants. It also results in the improved health of nearby ecosystems. Organic farming promotes biodiversity, using methods such as crop rotation and green manures, which bring a greater abundance of useful insects, birds, and other wildlife - all of which contribute to its distinctive qualities.

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“Ah, summer is red, I would love you …” What else can a farmer do in summer if not weeding. Among those who like to dig in the ground, there is probably a stereotype that you will not fly from morning to night, it means you are lazy, and not a gardener at all. After all, the harvest with weeds is incompatible, since they take water, light and nutrients from useful crops.

Organic farming. Taming the weeds

In the previous articles of the cycle: “Biological protection from pests and weeds”, “Stop destroying the land by digging and weeding”, “Intensive planting of plants”, “Let’s make the land good”, we came to the conclusion that one of the main conditions for the success of organic farming is the creation of an area of ​​ecological balance, when all plants and animals peacefully coexist with each other, while exerting a beneficial effect on the life and development of garden crops. Today we will find out what benefits weeds can bring to the garden..

Organic farming. Taming the weeds

From the very beginning, I would like to note that weeding is a thankless task. No matter how hard you try, the weeds will still creep into your garden, that’s how they are arranged. Of course, if you have tiny flower beds and a lawn, then you can weed it once a week. And if the plot is large, say, for example, 30 acres !? With a weekly weeding of such a volume, you, at least, will earn yourself sciatica, as well as an extremely bad mood from a catastrophic lack of free time and the lack of the opportunity to fully enjoy the contemplation of the surrounding nature. Where is the exit?

For a useful coexistence with weeds, it is necessary to study their physiology and figure out the reason for their appearance in such quantities in your dachas and vegetable gardens..

What are the weeds

Botanists have calculated that there are about 30 thousand species of weeds, which is much more than cultivated plants. Garden crops are divided into zones, for example, tomatoes and potatoes grow well in the middle climatic zone, but it will be much more difficult to grow watermelon and melon here. So, there are 25-30 species of cultivated plants in one such zone, and there will be several hundred weeds, because one and the same weed perfectly adapts both to drought and to wet conditions, both to high and relatively low temperatures … Among them there are true cosmopolitans who feel equally good under trees and in the sun..

Organic farming. Taming the weeds

Weeds are annual, biennial and perennial. Annuals (quinoa, shepherd’s purse, bindweed, bluegrass) and biennials (burdock, clover, thistle) reproduce only by seeds. Therefore, if you mow them before the seeds ripen, there is a hope that they will no longer appear on the site..

Organic farming. Taming the weeds

But perennial weeds are real monsters, the fight against which is extremely difficult to win. The fact is that they reproduce not only by seeds, but also by stems and rhizomes. And the constant digging only benefits them. There was a plant with one root, they cut it with a shovel – several pieces appeared that would quickly release daughter buds and give wonderful shoots. Particularly harmful perennial weeds include the well-known creeping wheatgrass, as well as wood lice, bitterness, lynx, sow thistle and others. Fighting these monsters is useless, they will still win. Weeds need to be tamed and made to work for the benefit of increasing soil fertility. Let’s figure out how to do it.

How Weeds Can Benefit

It is difficult for most gardeners to overcome the aversion to weeds that has developed over many decades and to believe that they bring tangible benefits to our land. At the same time, due to their physiological characteristics, they can become wonderful helpers for the farmer in improving the structure and increasing soil fertility. What is their value:

  1. First, most weeds have a strong root system that can penetrate into deep layers, breaking the hard bed under the soil. This makes it easier for the roots of cultivated plants, allowing them to penetrate deeper into the ground and get more nutrients. So to plow the land, as weeds do, garden crops are not able.
  2. Secondly, growing in small quantities, weeds shade the area well and save the seedlings from heat and increased solar activity.
  3. Third. The ability of weeds to penetrate deeply into the soil allows them to accumulate mineral substances inaccessible to cultivated plants in the leaves and stems, therefore their biomass is always richer. And if it is not burned and returned back to the ground (through compost or directly), the soil will be significantly enriched with missing nutrients. Scientists have noted such a pattern – weeds accumulate precisely those minerals that are lacking in the place of their growth. For example, horse sorrel and plantain love acidic soil, and accumulate calcium and magnesium in themselves, which are able to deacidify the earth..
  4. Fourthly, the roots of dead weeds supply the earth with a large amount of organic matter, form channels for the penetration of water and air in it. The strong root system provides food and shelter for earthworms and soil-forming bacteria. At the same time, the structure of the earth is significantly improved, the humus layer increases. It should be noted that all this happens only if the soil is not subjected to deep cultivation, which destroys all soil living creatures and nullifies efforts to improve the land.

Organic farming. Taming the weeds

As you can see, weeds are not necessarily the enemies of the garden. They just need to be kept under control, not allowing competition with cultivated plants, and cut off in time before they are seeded..

How to tame weeds

The paradox, but the “rushing” weed on our site from excessive diligence. Let’s take a simple example. In the fall, most gardeners rake up the fallen leaves, pull out the tops and remnants of garden crops and, at best, lay it all on compost heaps, and at worst burn them. In the forest and in the meadow, nothing of the kind happens – the foliage has fallen out, the grass has withered and covered the ground with a dense carpet, which over the years turns into a thick litter.

What do we have in the spring. In our gardens, after such an establishment of order, there is a green expanse, the weeds feel great, as we, having cleared the land from “unnecessary organic matter”, provided them with air and excellent access to sunlight with our own hands. But in the forest, not every plant can break through a thick leafy pillow. Such work can only be done by cereals, which have a sharp, spiky tip, but it is hardly possible to crawl through with its round small leaves.

From the above, it is clear that in order to limit the growth of weeds, it is necessary to close their path to light and air. To do this, cover the soil with a thick layer of organic or compost mulch. This will not only help in the fight against weeds, but will also maintain the necessary moisture in the ground, and will significantly reduce the need for watering. Other benefits of mulching are discussed in the previous article in the Make the Earth Good series. Conduct an experiment, be too lazy to collect the foliage under the trees in the fall – there will be no weeds in your garden in the spring. A thick pillow of leaves can only be pierced by sharp grass, the result is a wonderful lawn.

Organic farming. Taming the weeds

Planting vigorously is an excellent way to tame weeds. Among the majority of gardeners there is an opinion that cultivated plants need a lot of space for normal growth and fruiting. However, everything is good in moderation. We buy expensive seeds, pour them into the grooves, and then weed out the extra ones, thereby opening the way for the growth of the weed.

Try sowing lettuce and breaking through as needed (only when you need to make something out of it). You will get a densely overgrown garden bed. You can do the same with flowers – when a solid carpet of plants covers the ground, it is much more difficult for weeds to break through..

“But cultivated plants cannot exist like that,” you object. It’s a delusion. Because if you cultivate the land according to the principles of organic farming, that is, do not dig it up, do not disrupt the life of its inhabitants, then there will be enough nutrition in the soil and even densely planted crops will feel great.

There are some garden plants that you cannot plant densely, such as cucumbers. In this case, the land between the beds can be planted with some other crop that is well compatible with them. Radish or Chinese cabbage, thickly sown between cucumber holes, is great. Such a neighborhood will not only prevent weeds, but also protect the cucumbers from insect pests. We discussed in more detail the benefits of intensive planting in the article “Organic farming. Intensive planting of plants “.

Organic farming. Taming the weeds

When talking about ways to control weeds, it is simply impossible not to mention siderates. Sideration is a real find for those who are sorely lacking organic matter for mulching or composting.

Legumes (peas, lupine, vetch), various honey plants (buckwheat, phacelia, comfrey), as well as almost all types of cereals can be used as siderates. These plants sprout quickly, form a powerful root system and cover the ground with a green carpet, preventing even sow thistle and wheatgrass from germinating..

Rye is especially helpful in inhibiting weed growth. In the area sown with this cereal, nothing will grow, and around the growth of weeds will be delayed for several weeks. By sowing rye before winter along the perimeter of the garden, you will close the road to the plot for the neighbor’s wheatgrass.

If the site is very neglected, and you want to organize, for example, a lawn, then there is no better helper than rye. Scatter it densely in the fall, without sparing, and in the spring you get a dense green brush, cutting off with a flat cutter, you get a perfectly loose, weed-free soil. In sufficient detail about sideration, as one of the main ways to improve the structure and fertility of the soil, is described in the article “Organic farming. Let’s make the earth good “.

Organic farming. Taming the weeds

So, let’s summarize. Weeds are not the number one enemy of the garden. On the contrary, skillful use of their positive properties, mastering the methods of their domestication will help you to improve the soil, increase the humus layer, and improve the structure. It is necessary to treat these plants intelligently, not to resort to an all-out war with them, but to study their useful qualities. After all, weeds can do something much better and more efficiently than the garden crops we planted. If you look closely at the issue of coexistence with weeds, you can achieve a pleasant balance of damage and benefit. And the most important thing is not to do unnecessary hard work, because labor on the ground should bring not only a harvest, but also deliver maximum moral satisfaction..

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Comments: 2
  1. Skylar Campbell

    I’m curious to know how organic farmers effectively manage weeds in their fields. Is manual weeding the primary method used, or are there other sustainable techniques implemented? How do they strike a balance between weed control and preserving the natural ecosystem?

    Reply
    1. Harper King

      Organic farmers employ various sustainable techniques to effectively manage weeds in their fields. While manual weeding is one method, they also utilize other practices such as crop rotation, cover cropping, mulching, and mechanical cultivation. These techniques help suppress weeds by interrupting their lifecycle, reducing competition with crops, and improving soil health. By avoiding synthetic herbicides, organic farmers preserve the natural ecosystem, promoting biodiversity and enhancing the overall resilience of the system. They prioritize ecological balance by creating habitats for beneficial insects and organisms that naturally control weeds, thus minimizing the need for excessive intervention. Through these integrated approaches, organic farmers strike a balance between weed control and the preservation of a thriving and sustainable natural ecosystem.

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