Thanks for your feedback in advance.
Chris Geering
geeringc@pilot.msu.edu
>
> Robert: I have used 6 mil black poly, doubled, as an edge around my
> garden, to keep the adjoining lawn (which includes quackgrass,
> originally having been a pasture) from growing into my garden. The
> quackgrass has no trouble getting straight through two layers of 6
> mil poly, usually within a year. However, I also use black poly (one
> layer) as a surface cover to kill off patches of garden that have had
> a history of grass encroachment. I typically leave it covered for
> about two years, although I have not tried any shorter period - might
> still work. This works very well to kill quack and other perennial
> weed species. I then open it up in the spring, let it dry out, and
> till it a few times before making beds and planting. I allow any
> residual perennial weed growth time to happen - and work it out
> manually - before making the beds and planting. There is typically
> very little life left in the quack after two years in the dark, but I
> want to be sure there is none. Having a little bit of quack grass in
> my garden is like being a little bit pregnant!
>
> I remember a humorous (I hope) quote from a couple of organic
> gardeners, that they removed quackgrass rhizomes etc. manually by
> screening sections of the garden, one at a time. They then let the
> rhizomes dry out and burned them, being careful where they put the
> ashes! Ann
>
> ACLARK@crop.uoguelph.ca
> Dr. E. Ann Clark
> Associate Professor
> Crop Science
> University of Guelph
> Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
> Phone: 519-824-4120 Ext. 2508
> FAX: 519 763-8933
>