@lennyf1957 It could if the soil only had enough nutrients for the garden plants. If the soil is very rich there is plenty for everyone. Also the weeds get composted before going to seed. Their composted remains will return much of the nutrients as well as minerals they mined from the soil.
@Praxxus55712 also, it's more solar collectors to convert atmospheric N to usable N for the plants, a lot of biomass and when you pull them the roots breakdown in the soil 'n provide more nutrients, as well as hold the soil together better to prevent erosion...just from what i've gathered, everything has it's place/purpose
love your channel. a friend has been growing tomatoes, but for some reason they usually split on the top near the stem and radiate out. Any idea what could cause it?? Thanks
@frankie2234 Cracking is caused by uneven watering. The tomato fruit goes through a growth spurt when the plant gets a drink and the fruit skin can't expand and grow as fast as it needs so it cracks and seals itself. You can prevent this by keeping the soil more evenly moist. It is just a skin imperfection and doesn't affect the taste or flavor.
thank you so much for putting this knowledge out there! we need more people to understand how to work with the earth instead of against it. we need to learn to let go and stop trying to control everything, and the earth will reward us :)
Went on a tour of a local CSA here in California....the lady who ran the farm follows the same principle as you. Several people on the tour she gives asked about the weeds and she said unless it's an area that the weeds are going to choke out the veggies or herbs then just let them be or pull a small area around the plant.
Somebody once said “Weeds are like hard working immigrants,” and it’s true. I either let the weeds grow, over-seed and then thin a cover crop, or simply do a little chop and drop here and there "Fukuoka" style. However, so many weeds are valuable like the white clover, dandelion, and some like chickweed and pigweed are edible. Meticulous magazine cover gardeners can work 20 times as hard as me if they wish…Whatever floats their boat. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Heheh thats great stuff. I love your logic and practicality, love many of my weeds too : ) cool little flowers n different shaped leaves. I do really hate the ones that put down 5' deep roots and get really invasive. I started planting greens (arugula, spinach, collards, chards, mustards, radishes, lettuces as ground cover for corn squash, tomatoes, peppers this year using the same logic you do. I have found that some weeds stunt some plants though, but in an open area I do like things growing.
what you have discovered is actually ancient knowledge that was discarded once landscaping and poisons came to be. i was always taught by the kupuna that the weeds play an very important role.. and everything you explained is just that. you are not lazy. lazy people poison. it takes more 'work' to do it your way.. but its the most positive method and like you said before.. its just plain fun and another great reason to hang out with your bird buddy in the garden!
@mothmanifest also many "weeds" are quite edible.. even tender grass shoots can be juiced or used as sweet greens. knowing whats good to eat and whats not is the most valuble life skill.
I agree with keeping the weeds in the garden. They are beneficial and add nitrogen, jut like you say. I don't put my weeds into my compost pile though.
I just leave them and pull handfuls out every now and then to make weed teas out of them. Soaking them for a couple of weeks wakes an excellent natural fertiliser once you water it down.
I do not have the same size garden as you do though. I would end up with a huge amount of weed tea if I did!
weeds are natural and beneficial. as long as your veggies don't have to 'fight' for water, sun light or nutrition, it's all good. Lots of weeds are really tasty.
When I really need to keep an area weedless, I layer on the cardboard and newspaper. Wet the layers and add some straw or woodchips. It supresses (sp?) the weeds all season and breaks down, making more soil. Keep posting!
You really have a lot of weeds. I noticed that after I used compost made from weeds I got a lot of weeds. Is it really wise or safe to compost weeds without just encouraging more weeds? I guess I'll research that a bit. I've been making a separate compost for weeds, trying to keep my normal compost as weed-free as possible.
thetmaxx, I used to fight the weeds and it was an unending battle. I experimented and found that weeds did not stunt or inhibit the growth and productability of my garden plants at all. When I discovered this, I wondered why I was fighting an enemy that wasn't even harming my garden.
They deter insects from my veggies.
Retain moisture
Provide compost, which feeds the garden.
It's a win/win situation for me. Definitely not for everyone, but works for me. :)
I used mulch & didn't like it. The only mulch available in my area is bark mulch & that blows. Bark bits get mixed with the soil, take forever to break down & rob soil of nitrogen. I personally prefer weeds. They not only retain moisture in the soil, they feed insects. I don't discourage insects, I encourage them. If the balance is kept, strong healthy plants along with beneficial insects & local birds generally keep the harmful insects from doing much damage. It's just a personal choice though.
and you know the roots of your weeds probably help the water go deeper into the ground faster when it rains;) like you say as long as it's not too close around the veggies roots what's wrong?
I like under sowing with clover best, as mulch brings bugs in to the veggies.. and it keeps away grass=) and very easy plant to deal with and builds the soil;) not sure how clover is water wise though but it sure is drought resistant so maybe it doesn't take much away.
I agree. Clover is amazing stuff. The cool thing is it grows wild here. Also it rains alot here so watering isn't a problem.....which is cool because I would hate to have to water the garden alot.
ya we had blue marine clay=) and all the rain summer before this one, we had opposite problem! and the weeds stopped erosion a lot cause we had to make trenches.. plus with the sandy soil you have(saw in an other vid) the weeds are doing an important job of bringing stuff up and making good top soil. looks like a really fun place there!
alot of weeds are eatible as long as you know which ones. I agree with the weed things if you have weeds you have less bugs eating your garden. I dont have many in the raise garden, because I put weed blocker down before I made my boxes but, I still do get them. even if you dont garden you still have weeds unless you cement your whole yard which I have been thinking of but, it just costs to much. then I would have the million dollar garden. hehehhehehe
I'm not at all convinced by these arguments. Think the shade argument is good but better to use cut grass shavings. I also think the weeds suck nutrients from the soil that the veggies could be getting. I'm all for spraying against bugs. We do tend to leave the weeds in our strawberry rows, simply because we don't have the time/energy to weed!
As I said, the weeds don't grow around the vegetables, so they suck no nutrients from the root areaof the veggies. They only grow in unused areas. They also act as a deflection for harmful insects. The weeds are composted and put back into the garden as food for the garden. Also, look at how well my garden grows. This is not an argument for weeds, it is a testimony to the function of them since it already is proven by how well my garden grows with them. :)
You're right about weeds making it harder for bugs to home in on your veggies. Thats the way it worked this year for me with the beans I planted in my corn. I didn't squish any Mexican Bean Beetles at all off of them and wound up getting about the same amount of production as I did on my trellised beans. The corn prevented the beans from being such a monoculture. Yeah, I know as you say, it's a bit of a hassle in some ways having them in the corn but it seemed to work out for me this year.
I'm almost doing the same thing. I leave the area surrounding my beds wild to attract insects and offer alternative food and living quarters and the bugs eat other bugs in my veg beds. I keep my beds weed free because it's easier for me to weed little and often than in a big operation due to health issues. But definitely, a wild area is very beneficial.
Hi Ray, my yard both back and front look almost like that, haha, esp the back...too many acres to weedwhack, too rocky to mow..so i will knock them down high and thow them on the compost like you're doing..of course according to that permaculture thing u just put in more food than weeds and never till..sorta like giving birth through straw, lol..oh wow! a ten pound baby artichoke!...cigar anyone? lol
very well said, too bad my spot is at a collective. with kinda strict rules... donno if I should keep it as permaculture and other experimental ideas seems to be close to a no no..
Instead of weeds, are there small plants such as weeds that you can use instead?
nork3 1 month ago in playlist More videos from Praxxus55712
During the time these weeds are growing, aren’t they robbing nutrients from your veggies?
I also compost, but I use the dead veggies and other cuttings from the previous season.
lennyf1957 2 months ago
@lennyf1957 It could if the soil only had enough nutrients for the garden plants. If the soil is very rich there is plenty for everyone. Also the weeds get composted before going to seed. Their composted remains will return much of the nutrients as well as minerals they mined from the soil.
Praxxus55712 2 months ago
@Praxxus55712 also, it's more solar collectors to convert atmospheric N to usable N for the plants, a lot of biomass and when you pull them the roots breakdown in the soil 'n provide more nutrients, as well as hold the soil together better to prevent erosion...just from what i've gathered, everything has it's place/purpose
chriscunanan 2 months ago
love your channel. a friend has been growing tomatoes, but for some reason they usually split on the top near the stem and radiate out. Any idea what could cause it?? Thanks
frankie2234 5 months ago
@frankie2234 Cracking is caused by uneven watering. The tomato fruit goes through a growth spurt when the plant gets a drink and the fruit skin can't expand and grow as fast as it needs so it cracks and seals itself. You can prevent this by keeping the soil more evenly moist. It is just a skin imperfection and doesn't affect the taste or flavor.
Praxxus55712 5 months ago
hey dude dandilions are real tasty, pick them.. then steam them, then flavour them with some garlic and olive oil!
aaaarrrgggghh 9 months ago
@aaaarrrgggghh Garlic + olive oil = freakishly delicious
Praxxus55712 9 months ago
thank you so much for putting this knowledge out there! we need more people to understand how to work with the earth instead of against it. we need to learn to let go and stop trying to control everything, and the earth will reward us :)
BooPiggies 10 months ago
Went on a tour of a local CSA here in California....the lady who ran the farm follows the same principle as you. Several people on the tour she gives asked about the weeds and she said unless it's an area that the weeds are going to choke out the veggies or herbs then just let them be or pull a small area around the plant.
SoCalGardening 1 year ago
That would be great, but CA weeds are MEAN they get taller than you take all nutrients and water out of the soil, and are very spiky.
techdude1876 1 year ago
Somebody once said “Weeds are like hard working immigrants,” and it’s true. I either let the weeds grow, over-seed and then thin a cover crop, or simply do a little chop and drop here and there "Fukuoka" style. However, so many weeds are valuable like the white clover, dandelion, and some like chickweed and pigweed are edible. Meticulous magazine cover gardeners can work 20 times as hard as me if they wish…Whatever floats their boat. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
HowToChangeTheWorld 1 year ago
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applyjbrq 1 year ago
Another gem Ray, great advice.
I3addogy 1 year ago
Heheh thats great stuff. I love your logic and practicality, love many of my weeds too : ) cool little flowers n different shaped leaves. I do really hate the ones that put down 5' deep roots and get really invasive. I started planting greens (arugula, spinach, collards, chards, mustards, radishes, lettuces as ground cover for corn squash, tomatoes, peppers this year using the same logic you do. I have found that some weeds stunt some plants though, but in an open area I do like things growing.
omegahpla 1 year ago
@omegahpla Shallow rooted weeds are best. Most of mine are grasses, lambs quarter and young clover.
Praxxus55712 1 year ago
what you have discovered is actually ancient knowledge that was discarded once landscaping and poisons came to be. i was always taught by the kupuna that the weeds play an very important role.. and everything you explained is just that. you are not lazy. lazy people poison. it takes more 'work' to do it your way.. but its the most positive method and like you said before.. its just plain fun and another great reason to hang out with your bird buddy in the garden!
mothmanifest 1 year ago
@mothmanifest also many "weeds" are quite edible.. even tender grass shoots can be juiced or used as sweet greens. knowing whats good to eat and whats not is the most valuble life skill.
mothmanifest 1 year ago
that is fantastic It Makes so much sense !! thank you for that tip !!!
skyaglow 1 year ago
I agree with keeping the weeds in the garden. They are beneficial and add nitrogen, jut like you say. I don't put my weeds into my compost pile though.
I just leave them and pull handfuls out every now and then to make weed teas out of them. Soaking them for a couple of weeks wakes an excellent natural fertiliser once you water it down.
I do not have the same size garden as you do though. I would end up with a huge amount of weed tea if I did!
OrganicRawBill 2 years ago 2
Bill, that actually sounds like a seriously cool way to do it! :)
Praxxus55712 2 years ago
@Praxxus55712 , Wow, you discovered permaculture principles all on your own! I love watching you and Geoff Lawton on youtube. Please post more vids
tj21bem 1 year ago
I vote for lazy aspect
zasvedogovore 2 years ago 2
weeds are natural and beneficial. as long as your veggies don't have to 'fight' for water, sun light or nutrition, it's all good. Lots of weeds are really tasty.
When I really need to keep an area weedless, I layer on the cardboard and newspaper. Wet the layers and add some straw or woodchips. It supresses (sp?) the weeds all season and breaks down, making more soil. Keep posting!
simplespirit101 2 years ago 3
You really have a lot of weeds. I noticed that after I used compost made from weeds I got a lot of weeds. Is it really wise or safe to compost weeds without just encouraging more weeds? I guess I'll research that a bit. I've been making a separate compost for weeds, trying to keep my normal compost as weed-free as possible.
thetmaxx 2 years ago
thetmaxx, I used to fight the weeds and it was an unending battle. I experimented and found that weeds did not stunt or inhibit the growth and productability of my garden plants at all. When I discovered this, I wondered why I was fighting an enemy that wasn't even harming my garden.
They deter insects from my veggies.
Retain moisture
Provide compost, which feeds the garden.
It's a win/win situation for me. Definitely not for everyone, but works for me. :)
Praxxus55712 2 years ago
hey Ray, what do you think of using mulch instead of the already growing weeds to keep the soil moist? also "they" say that it deterrs bugs
devastaticon 2 years ago
I used mulch & didn't like it. The only mulch available in my area is bark mulch & that blows. Bark bits get mixed with the soil, take forever to break down & rob soil of nitrogen. I personally prefer weeds. They not only retain moisture in the soil, they feed insects. I don't discourage insects, I encourage them. If the balance is kept, strong healthy plants along with beneficial insects & local birds generally keep the harmful insects from doing much damage. It's just a personal choice though.
Praxxus55712 2 years ago
and you know the roots of your weeds probably help the water go deeper into the ground faster when it rains;) like you say as long as it's not too close around the veggies roots what's wrong?
Beardedyoungman 2 years ago 2
I like under sowing with clover best, as mulch brings bugs in to the veggies.. and it keeps away grass=) and very easy plant to deal with and builds the soil;) not sure how clover is water wise though but it sure is drought resistant so maybe it doesn't take much away.
Beardedyoungman 2 years ago
I agree. Clover is amazing stuff. The cool thing is it grows wild here. Also it rains alot here so watering isn't a problem.....which is cool because I would hate to have to water the garden alot.
Praxxus55712 2 years ago
ya we had blue marine clay=) and all the rain summer before this one, we had opposite problem! and the weeds stopped erosion a lot cause we had to make trenches.. plus with the sandy soil you have(saw in an other vid) the weeds are doing an important job of bringing stuff up and making good top soil. looks like a really fun place there!
Beardedyoungman 2 years ago 2
alot of weeds are eatible as long as you know which ones. I agree with the weed things if you have weeds you have less bugs eating your garden. I dont have many in the raise garden, because I put weed blocker down before I made my boxes but, I still do get them. even if you dont garden you still have weeds unless you cement your whole yard which I have been thinking of but, it just costs to much. then I would have the million dollar garden. hehehhehehe
crewlla 2 years ago
Time to convince my wife I need to stop mowing! Great video as always.
steen1973 2 years ago
I'm not at all convinced by these arguments. Think the shade argument is good but better to use cut grass shavings. I also think the weeds suck nutrients from the soil that the veggies could be getting. I'm all for spraying against bugs. We do tend to leave the weeds in our strawberry rows, simply because we don't have the time/energy to weed!
ivankinsman 2 years ago
As I said, the weeds don't grow around the vegetables, so they suck no nutrients from the root areaof the veggies. They only grow in unused areas. They also act as a deflection for harmful insects. The weeds are composted and put back into the garden as food for the garden. Also, look at how well my garden grows. This is not an argument for weeds, it is a testimony to the function of them since it already is proven by how well my garden grows with them. :)
Praxxus55712 2 years ago
You're right about weeds making it harder for bugs to home in on your veggies. Thats the way it worked this year for me with the beans I planted in my corn. I didn't squish any Mexican Bean Beetles at all off of them and wound up getting about the same amount of production as I did on my trellised beans. The corn prevented the beans from being such a monoculture. Yeah, I know as you say, it's a bit of a hassle in some ways having them in the corn but it seemed to work out for me this year.
3CoolKats 2 years ago
Hi Ray,
I'm almost doing the same thing. I leave the area surrounding my beds wild to attract insects and offer alternative food and living quarters and the bugs eat other bugs in my veg beds. I keep my beds weed free because it's easier for me to weed little and often than in a big operation due to health issues. But definitely, a wild area is very beneficial.
Best Wishes,
Brendan
baconsoda 2 years ago
Hi Ray, my yard both back and front look almost like that, haha, esp the back...too many acres to weedwhack, too rocky to mow..so i will knock them down high and thow them on the compost like you're doing..of course according to that permaculture thing u just put in more food than weeds and never till..sorta like giving birth through straw, lol..oh wow! a ten pound baby artichoke!...cigar anyone? lol
kokonutbaby1 2 years ago 2
very well said, too bad my spot is at a collective. with kinda strict rules... donno if I should keep it as permaculture and other experimental ideas seems to be close to a no no..
well thanks for sharing! keep it up!
deketeme 2 years ago 2
how ddare you not shave for us ray. shame on you. :P 5 o'clock shadow is a very dangerous disease you know! your plannts could catch it. xD
anyways... GOOD weeds? amazing. :D
maybe you shoulda thrown some pez in there with the compose.... see if it turns colourful. :P
kkburnout 2 years ago 2
Do you have thistle weeds? I could sell them to you! Nasty weed. If you have any thistle extermination tips they are welcome.
greyhoundfriend123 2 years ago 2
First view first rate AND first comment! How about that
minneola24 2 years ago 3