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Subject: Re: Wild Strawberry
From: phorbin@my-deja.com (phorbin)
Organization: Raven's Crossing
Date: Sun, 12 Mar 00 05:40:43
Message-ID: <MOD$000312.13470@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$000309.19343@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$000310.4373@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



In article <MOD$000310.4373@rec.gardens.ecosystems>,
jaykhill@aol.comJayKhill says...
>
> >They become thugs when they are planted in rich, water
> >retentive soils.
>
> ****
> tHESE ARE THUGS UNLESS THEY CAN BE USED TO MAKE JAM OR STRAWBERRY WINE.
> (oops, sorry about the caps).
> Otherwise, how do I get them out of my garden patch?
>
> John Cahill, Mt. Vernon, VA.

If I really wanted to get rid of them, I'd adopt a stifled earth policy
and solarize them (the process can be found in most garden reference
books)... Water the soil well and then put heavy black plastic down over
the whole area... and wait

It'll cook the plants and if you're patient enough, kill them all....

You may want to try smother cropping... I believe buckwheat is used as a
smother crop... Buckwheat may become a problem in its own right if you
let it go to seed.

Then, one of my catalogues ( www.richters.com ) listed Mexican Marigold,
Tagetes minuta (considering the plant grows to 6', "minuta" sounds like a
joke), which is supposed to destroy noxious weeds ...including ground
elder, bindweed, couch grass, and ground ivy...

I don't know what kind of climate you have in VA... but Richters
indicates that they don't ship Mexican Marigold seeds to California which
leads me to suspect that the plant could become a problem in any warm
climate.

--
phorbin
Power unused is merely potential.
Potential unused often withers.