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Post by barefootfarmer on May 4, 2015 21:40:24 GMT
Hoeing the garden, oh how I hate it! It seems that by the time I get from one end to the other, the weeds are right back where I started. I'm contending with Canadian thistle and I'm determined to keep it checked. But gosh, it's persistent and my hands are literally numb from the hoe work.
How often does everyone else honestly hoe? Does it get better for you as the season progresses? I'm hoping to stay on top of it early on, then maybe as the summer progresses and the plants are bigger it won't be so bad.
This is my first season working this garden area and that's probably part of the trouble. I tilled it twice with a big tiller across the whole area, waiting several weeks in between the first and second passes. Third time tilling was just the rows as I plant them. I don't think I'm going to be able to get enough mulch spread out fast enough.
How often do you hoe and what's your favorite mulch in the veggie garden?
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2015 22:37:28 GMT
I hoe daily but get over the whole patch once a week. I like compost for mulch, rotted wood chips for between the rows. A nice heavy how does the work, just pick it up and control the drop and pull back on hoe after it hits the ground. A light hoe takes a lot of chopping, wearing you out. I like a medium grape hoe in a medium width 8" works good for me. Also how do you water. I water once a week, let dirt dry 2-3 days, hoe, let set a few days for the weeds to die, then water again. This is after the plants get established....James
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Post by barefootfarmer on May 4, 2015 22:47:15 GMT
I haven't watered at all yet. Our ground holds water pretty well. Not wet, but moist.I don't think I'll water until June sometime. We're expecting rain tomorrow and Wed. Are you over here on the west side of Oregon too, @jwal10? I love mushroom compost for mulching. If I end up keeping my rows where they are now, I'll add the wood chips to the paths as well. I guess I just need to suck it up and hoe.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2015 23:18:34 GMT
Yes, I am 30 miles southwest of Salem. This year the garden is all set up, compost over the whole thing. So I don't hoe at all now. Last year we moved all the garden so it is in one place, between our cabin and DSs cabin. Before I had raised beds in one place, conventional garden in another place. Last year we had to hoe until we got it all composted. We use a lot of peppermint straw mixed with horse manure and our manure. I like compost best, about 8" everywhere except right at the row. After the plants are big enough we rake compost up to the plants. Where I get the horse manure they use wood pellets for bedding. They clean the stall daily, no hay, it makes great compost....James
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2015 23:19:03 GMT
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Post by barefootfarmer on May 4, 2015 23:22:32 GMT
That is really encouraging! It's a relief to know there is hope if i can get enough compost. Thanks for the uplift!
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Post by paquebot on May 5, 2015 2:30:09 GMT
The only non-chemical method of getting rid of Canadian thistle is steel. It can be totally killed in one season with a hoe. As soon as it comes up, hoe it off a few inches below the surface. It will be back in about a week and repeat the deep hoeing. After a couple months, what comes up will be smaller and white. That's about the last gasp. Continue into fall and it will not recover.
Martin
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Post by wally on May 5, 2015 7:54:17 GMT
I also dont like to spend time hoeing, hands down raised beds all but eliminate the weed problems
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Post by vickilynn on May 5, 2015 11:19:51 GMT
I'm the odd duck who loves to hoe. It's part of my morning routine.
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Post by wolfmom on May 5, 2015 12:17:09 GMT
Dislike hoeing. Dislike weeds.
That's why I begin a bed by double digging and getting as many roots out of the soil as I can, shovel full by shovel full. Takes a lot of time, but sure pays off. Then I mulch and mulch some more - inches of pine needles on top. Sorta the way Ruth Stout uses straw. I also never walk on my beds or need to use a rototiller.
If I have to weed, I dig the weed out to get the roots. I believe that hoeing leaves too many roots in the ground to grow again.
If I made raised beds, I'd still turn the ground and get as many roots out as possible first.
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Post by shellymay on May 5, 2015 12:46:01 GMT
Barefootfarmer, have you ever used one of these? www.walmart.com/ip/Ames-1866300-54-Cultivator-Hoe/24774040 they are the greatest hoe ever made, they are very effortless after tilling and the design cuts the weeds below the dirt level I love this hoe and will never own anything but  Also a friend of mine uses her grass clippings for mulch up around plants and keeps adding ever week when she mows, she never has issues with weeds, but for me I don't use a bagger on my mower  so hoeing I must do.... |
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Post by barefootfarmer on May 5, 2015 14:14:05 GMT
shellymay I have that hoe. I must be using it incorrectly. I've switched to a hoe with pointed tip. This particular area started off as pasture grass. I know I'm going to have my work cut out for me to get it where it needs to be. It's an acre area that includes my greenhouse (20x96)- I have all raised and framed beds in there. Then the rest of it is cut up into 3 sections. I'm working the top section right now. It's at a higher level than the other two. So far I've planted out rhubarb, a row of dahlias, cabbage, kale, leeks, onions, broccoli and potatoes. I'll be adding field tomatoes, pole beans, and summer squash as the weather gets warmer. The two sections at the bottom of the slight slope will be my winter squash and second plantings of cukes, beans etc. I need to make time to gather the grass clippings from the orchard. That was a great reminder.
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Post by shellymay on May 5, 2015 17:53:36 GMT
Do you see how the hoe is facing in the picture ( previous post), it is facing with arch up that is how you want it, now with this hoe you place the flat blade down on ground keeping contact with ground push and pull forward and backwards, hoe NEVER leaves the ground and no wasted travel as it works pushing and pulling, the hoe will seem like it is a little loose at end of handle, it is not as that is the way it is designed so you can use in both directions back and forth....But as I said its only good on weeds AFTER you till and plant and then do your weekly weeding  , for those who only weed once a year this hoe is not for you! |
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Post by Skandi on May 5, 2015 21:19:14 GMT
I have both a dutch hoe and a draw hoe. and oh my.. My issue is not the hoeing between rows, that's fine. but the HAND weeding between every blasted plant and seedling. this is the first year in 4 that this plot has been cultivated, and it is going green with weed seedlings every 3 or 4 days. totaly green. There's also the occasional thistle and nettle that we missed the root on. Sigh. I'm trying to keep them down, telling myself next year will be better, and the year after that even better. (mulch just isn't possible way to much area and no where near enough of anything to cover it)
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Post by barefootfarmer on May 5, 2015 22:01:55 GMT
Do you see how the hoe is facing in the picture ( previous post), it is facing with arch up that is how you want it, now with this hoe you place the flat blade down on ground keeping contact with ground push and pull forward and backwards, hoe NEVER leaves the ground and no wasted travel as it works pushing and pulling, the hoe will seem like it is a little loose at end of handle, it is not as that is the way it is designed so you can use in both directions back and forth....But as I said its only good on weeds AFTER you till and plant and then do your weekly weeding , for those who only weed once a year this hoe is not for you! I totally had that wrong...I'm going to try it again and see if I notice a difference. Wow. Been using it wrong for a long, long time... |
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Also a friend of mine uses her grass clippings for mulch up around plants
, for those who only weed once a year this hoe is not for you!
