Breaking New Ground

[so lucky]

Not a very original title, I know, but appropriate here. I need your opinions:

Does it make more sense to put down fresh compost on an area I want to kill weeds/grass on, then cover it all with black plastic till spring, or.....

just cover the area with black plastic while the compost ages elsewhere, then apply it in spring when I turn the soil?

Fresh compost is from the chicken house, straw and manure.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's less handling if you put it under the black plastic, or at least should be. It will break down and be useful in the spring, not matter what. It's not like you live where the ground stays frozen all winter to a few feet deep.

If you have leaves handy I'd add them to the mix under the plastic.

 

[so lucky]

Good idea. There is a huge oak tree in the corner of the yard. The leaves congregate under it, at the edge of the field. I was just thinking they would sure be handy.

 

[canesisters]

When I started mine in a previously lawn area, I used a flat shovel to scrape off the top couple of inches and flip it over. Then piled compost on top and let it cook all winter. The first Summer was a bit of a weed battle, but this past one was much better. I don't know if it had anything to do with the lawn trying to come back that first season - or if I just got better at weeding.

 

[so lucky]

Wonder how long it takes to kill out grass if it is covered in black plastic? I should have done this way earlier, but I have been dithering back and forth trying to decide if I really needed more room, and if I could take care of more garden by myself. Since I find that I feel better when I have to do hard work, hard physical work, I am considering this to be therapeutic. If something edible comes out of my efforts, so much the better! And in the long run, it's cheaper than membership at the gym.

 

[baymule]

I would think that fresh chicken manure would build up a heat and work with the heat from the black plastic to help kill out the grass. I'd pile on the poop, then the plastic. What's the worst that could happen? Total failure and super weeds? You'd get super weeds anyway, just by disturbing the ground and applying compost. First year garden is always the hardest. I say go for it.

 

[digitS']

You are right, @baymule . #2 hardest is the 2nd year garden.

I have said that it takes me 3 seasons to properly start a garden.

Unfortunately, I think I'm an optimist by nature.

Steve

 

[catjac1975]

The on;y thing I would worry about is the weeds not dying completely. I have a bed that I have been removing all of the plants from and plan to start over. I t has a terrible grassy weed that is unbearable to keep up with. My husband tilled the grass under and it promptly grew back with out missing a beat. My plan now is to till it again and then hit it with a dragon torch to kill the roots that come to the surface. If I till, burn, and repeat I think I can eliminate the nasty grass. Then if I must I will use the black plastic. I found that takes a long time.

 

[majorcatfish]

@catjac1975 have a 1mil duel burner btu torch love it, the only draw back is can suck a 20# tank dry in about 2 hours..still love it

 

[thistlebloom]

Sometimes with grass you make the problem worse by tilling.
I might try a multi-pronged approach, vinegar or torching to kill the tops down, solarization to cook whats left near the top and then taking the plastic off, watering to see what comes up then vinegar or torch it and repeat until those roots get so weak they have no reserves to grow.

That's pretty time consuming....