Need some help with the weeds

[NibbanaFarm]

Greetings,

Does anybody have any experience with the BCS cultivator? I see that Earth Tools has one also but too big for my 739. The BCS is a spring tine type so hopefully not too hard to control but I'm a little worried that it doesn't have any guide wheels. Any ideas? The weeds are getting the best of me. Wearing out my hoe.

Thanks.
Nibbana

 

[scootr]

Can you link to what you are looking at?

 

[NibbanaFarm]

This is it.

V-Cultivator - BCS America

Adjustable spring tines create intensive cultivation.

www.bcsamerica.com

It uses spring tines which I assume flex enough so the cultivator isn't going to steer the tractor. That's what I'm worried about. if I'm cultivating close next to crops, I don't want the tractor being pushed around by the cultivator.

 

[js5020]

Weeds and rocks were my enemy in the garden but no longer! Weeds, I mulch everything soon after the ground is prepared in the spring and keep it replenished during the season as needed. Might need to hand pull a few weeds but for the most part weeds are no longer a problem.

 

[NibbanaFarm]

Weeds and rocks were my enemy in the garden but no longer! Weeds, I mulch everything soon after the ground is prepared in the spring and keep it replenished during the season as needed. Might need to hand pull a few weeds but for the most part weeds are no longer a problem.

How big is your garden and what are you mulching with?
I put 4 foot wide weed barrier cloth down on each side of my squash a few years ago. 60 foot rows. It worked very good but I had to put heavy logs every 10 feet in order to keep the wind from blowing it away. And rats got under there to hide. I finally had to bring my dog in to kill the rats and she did a lot of destruction in the process.

 

[js5020]

I'm at 20x50 currently and I will use anything organic for material. The material I have the most of would be grass clippings, I've also used chopped up leaves, chopped straw. I never run out of green growth and if I would I have a few neighbors who wouldn't mind me harvesting some of theirs since they find cutting grass an unpleasant task, also have a farmer friend who gives me large round bales of old hay and straw from time to time.

 

[NibbanaFarm]

I'm at 20x50 currently and I will use anything organic for material. The material I have the most of would be grass clippings, I've also used chopped up leaves, chopped straw. I never run out of green growth and if I would I have a few neighbors who wouldn't mind me harvesting some of theirs since they find cutting grass an unpleasant task, also have a farmer friend who gives me large round bales of old hay and straw from time to time.

I don't have near enough free/cheap mulch do make a dent in my 30x60 garden. I don't collect grass clippings and I don't pile leaves. I did mulch my squash with hay a couple years. One year I didn't put enough down and it was ineffective. The other, I used a lot of hay and it was very, very effective and I had a great squash harvest. Over 100 large butternut off of 10 hills. But it was pretty expensive. Also had some trouble with the wind blowing the hay around.

Around here mulch hay is going for at least $7 bale. Might be worth it considering how expensive this cultivating equipment is. I know a local farmer who uses heavy mulch mats made out of rubber/plastic. They work excellently too. Don't want to know the price but I'm sure they last many years.

 

[3gunr]

my dad used to put old strips of carpet down the rows it worked great but was a mess picking up . old carpet can be had for nothing if you look around

 

[scootr]

We got truck loads of free wood chips from a local Tree Surgeon. Worked good for years and years when put down thick enough. Plus it mulches down to nothing and you can just add more.

 

[NibbanaFarm]

We got truck loads of free wood chips from a local Tree Surgeon. Worked good for years and years when put down thick enough. Plus it mulches down to nothing and you can just add more.

I used pine bark on the asparagus a number of years ago. It worked pretty good but is now depleted. Maybe I'll try wood chips this year.

 

[scootr]

I used pine bark on the asparagus a number of years ago. It worked pretty good but is now depleted. Maybe I'll try wood chips this year.

The house is shaded in 65 ft tall Eucalyptus and Pepper trees. Every few yrs we have a tree surgeon come and prune and thin these to mitigate the danger of falling branches etc. They are happy to dump the chipper truck before they leave
Be aware that some trees inhibit the growth of anything beneath them which may ill effect your garden. And the rodents may find the chips to be good cover or nesting.

 

[NibbanaFarm]

The house is shaded in 65 ft tall Eucalyptus and Pepper trees. Every few yrs we have a tree surgeon come and prune and thin these to mitigate the danger of falling branches etc. They are happy to dump the chipper truck before they leave
Be aware that some trees inhibit the growth of anything beneath them which may ill effect your garden. And the rodents may find the chips to be good cover or nesting.

In New England, the only thing I'm aware of that would inhibit plant growth is black walnut husks. So probably not a problem. I did find a local source for bith reasonably priced chip and mulch hay on craigslist.

Rodents will always be a problem and is why I'd prefer a good cultivator. My dogs will quickly take care of any rodents. They're generally pretty careful of the plants. I had them on regular patrol work last year and didn't have any problems. Lost one small squash overnight to something. But the previous year I had a rat nesting under the weed barrier I had around the squash that was eating all my tomatoes. Finally put the dog in. That rat was dead in the blink of an eye but it looked like a small tornado went through. A lot of collateral damage.

 

[ultrarunner]

Redwood chips do a good job and preferred but any species will help.

We get a few truckloads for the tree farm to supplement plus mud no longer an issue...