Subject: Re: Best way to clear acre of weeds?

From: duerr@horta
Date: 24 Jul 1994 02:46:36 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Omar Siddique) writes:
>I have aproximately one acre of yard that needs to become lawn.   This was
>a new house, so we started the year with barren dirt, but for one reason
>or another, I hadn't gotten around to seeding much of the yard.  Anyway,
>much of the area is now thick with weeds of several sorts.  What's the best
>way to kill them, without using farm-grade aerial herbicidal spraying?
>
>I'd prefer something that would kill the weeds but be inert in the soil, and
>not wash off and damage any of the number of trees that are on my
>property.  For this reason, I considered Roundup, but in my past experience
>with Roundup, it seems I would need to use an awful lot of it, and perhaps
>make 2-3 applications.  Plus, it would be a pain to do this acre with the
>1 gallon container with little sprayer attached, which is the largest
>size I've seen roundup in.
>
>So what should I use?  Is roundup the best idea anyway?  Handpulling is
>out of the question -- I've tried it for smaller areas that have been
>grassed, and it takes an inordinate amount of time and energy and isn't
>entirely effective.
>
>Maybe some kind of weed and feed type spreadable product?
>
>I'd appreciate any advice.
>
	If you have some time (one summer) and some energy (to run a
	rototiller) than I would recommend planting Buckwheat to choke out
	the seeds.  I have used this method to reclaim my garden from a
	farm field.  

	Buckwheat can be bought for about $17 for 50 pounds which should be
	about enought for one planting on one acre.  You will probably want
	3 plantings.  Simply till the soil in the spring so the weeds are tilled
	in and then spread the buckwheat seed so there is about 1 seed every
	inch.  Then run over the seeds with the tiller set at about 1" deep.
	This will bury the seeds.  The buckwheat will sprout real fast (like 4
	days if it rains at all) and it will grow really fast.  It will form
	a canopy in three weeks or so, thus smothering the weeds.  When the 
	buckwheat gets about 18-24" tall it will flower nicely (7-10 weeks
	depending on germination time).  Once it flowers you can till it in
	as a "green Mulch.  It will till into the soil REAL easy because it
	has hollow stems.  This time you will be able to till down deeper than
	you did the first time because the roots really break up the soil.
	Plant another crop of buckwheat if you want and keep repeating the 
	plantings until the frost kill the last plants.  You will have soil
	that is loose as can be, and ready to plant grass or a garden on the
	following year.  There will be virtually no weeds in this area at
	all.  This method will wipe out virtually everything, especially
	quackgrass which is really hard to kill.  It does take time, but the	
	soil will be ready for planting and very loose.
Brook
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Stephen C Daukas)
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 1994 15:04:19 GMT

duerr@horta wrote:
: In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Omar Siddique) writes:
: >
: 	If you have some time (one summer) and some energy (to run a
: 	rototiller) than I would recommend planting Buckwheat to choke out
: 	the seeds.  I have used this method to reclaim my garden from a
: 	farm field.  

I agree with Brook's advice.  I would offer a potentially easier way to go
as far as number of plantings et. al..

You might try hairy vetch instead of the wheat.  First, till the soil (if
you have an acre, you might find a local farm and ask if they would till
your yard - you can always rent one, but you sorta need to know how to use 
one.)  Then plant the vetch.  It grows _real_ fast.  Next, when its about 2
or 3 feet high (about a few weeks) you "harvest" it with a sicle mower or 
equiv.  Then, you let the stuff sit there for a few days (like a week or
so).  Next, you till the yard again and plant your grass.

The vetch will choke out anything and when cut, will not only keep choking
out anything beneath it, but will also be a wonderful additive to the soil
and will help your grass grow as much as starter fertilizer.

There have been a few recent articles on the use of hairy vetch for farming
and I know the US Dept. of  Agr. has done several studies in a farm setting.
You could always look into this further with respect to starting a new lawn.
I'd bet it would work just fine.

Regards,
Steve