how to best prepare garden from grass covered sod and weed seeds

[tstex]

Hello to all,

My daughters want to do a garden again. Had a huge garden for 10-15 yrs, then we all become too busy, now they are into organic vegetables. This garden is at our county/weekend place

I have a tractor, disc and tiller, but I know it's an uphill battle getting rid of all the weed seeds, current grasses and grasses to be. Does anyone have a good idea for turning a plot of grass [50ft L x 20ft W] into mostly weedless and seedless soil? I can send some pics later from my phone if you need them.

Thank you,
tstex

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Cover crop, if you don't want chemicals. The problem is the seed bank in the soil. Cover crops like buckwheat will choke out weeds and not allow them to mature... Effectively depleating the seed bank. This takes time however since some seeds can remain viable for years. I grew two successive crops of buckwheat on an acre at my place this past year... It worked really well. What weeds grew, were stunted and didnt go to seed. Depleating the seed bank. This year I'm using phacelia as it can be grown about 4 weeks sooner.

 

[MoKelly]

My wife has a garden at our farm. 50x50. We are there on weekends.

My only answer (since no chemicals are allowed) was to plant rows wide enough to get a tiller between. Then I have to till the rows to help control weeds.

My wife will pull larger weeds in the rows which mix with the vegetables.

But - if you are only there on weekends - it’s tough. “Grow like a weed” is a saying for a reason!

 

[oldballs]

What Mo said. Gardening takes persistent work for results. I use a hoe quite a bit. It is peaceful and productive that way.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[tstex]

thank you both

yes, weekend farming is tough. And, I know there are yrs of seeds from weeds, Bermuda and Bahia grasses, sedges, goat-weed [can be dormant for decades] and more...what cover crops are really heat tolerate [100-108F]?

The goal is to start planting this spring [mid-march] - thank you very much

 

[tstex]

Here’s some pics from about 10 yrs ago

 

[EddieWalker]

From your pictures, it looks like you already know a lot more about gardening then I do. We tried for several years to do a garden like yours, but the weeds became too much and then Summer would hit and make the ground like concrete. I have red clay, and it's great in Spring, but horrible in Summer.

We gave up on having a big area like yours and went to raised beds. I bought several dump truck loads of "good" dirt, and we finally became successful at gardening. The weeding is easier, our plants did better, and we're able to keep up with everything. Currently we have 24 beds, and eventually we'll double that and then some.

We put red mulch in between the beds, and that's made keeping the weeds clear super easy. We still get a few, but they pull out without any effort, and the biggest plus is not having to walk in mud after watering.

 

[tstex]

From your pictures, it looks like you already know a lot more about gardening then I do. We tried for several years to do a garden like yours, but the weeds became too much and then Summer would hit and make the ground like concrete. I have red clay, and it's great in Spring, but horrible in Summer.

We gave up on having a big area like yours and went to raised beds. I bought several dump truck loads of "good" dirt, and we finally became successful at gardening. The weeding is easier, our plants did better, and we're able to keep up with everything. Currently we have 24 beds, and eventually we'll double that and then some.

We put red mulch in between the beds, and that's made keeping the weeds clear super easy. We still get a few, but they pull out without any effort, and the biggest plus is not having to walk in mud after watering.

Thanks Eddie...yes, the weeds if left unchecked for yrs can easily choke out everything, including the gardeners...we have sandy-loam soil so it soaks up the H20. My well is right by, so i have set up an irrigation system to keep all watered and on schedule. It can be adjusted up and the heat in late june+ takes over...by then, the garden starts to burn...

BTW, I was born in Tyler, then at 6mo's old, family moved to houston....

 

[KennyG]

I would start by covering the planting area with black plastic to kill everything. Then till enough to plant. After the plants emerge I would mulch with newspaper and keep my fingers crossed.

 

[LouNY]

Like KennyG said, lay out some black plastic and let it cook the soil for a couple of months.
Then I'd do some "strip" tillage, flip the plastic back with the white side up, cut slots or holes and plant through it.