| #1 |
I watched a Huw Richards YouTube video recently about changing your attitude to Weeding. Not to look at it as a chore but as a benefit.
This is my take on it -
When you cut the grass you use the cuttings as a mulch or in the compost to put the goodness from the grass back into the soil. Whatever the grass has taken from the soil in order to grow is returned to the soil. Just as when a tree loses its leaves in autumn, the leaves fall to the ground, decompose and return their nutrients back to the soil to feed the tree in the future.
When we pull up/dig out "weeds" and dispose of them we also dispose of their nutrients which they have taken from the soil in order to grow. Dandelions and docks, with their deep roots can access nutrients that shallower rooted plants cannot. That's why we grow comfrey, for its deep root system.
We should endeavour to return to the soil, that which we remove so as not to deplete it.
One way to do this is by making weed tea, drowning the "weeds" in a barrel of water and using it to feed and water the garden. I have to say that, having dabbled with comfrey tea and a nettle one, I just cannot stomach the smell of such "teas". My solution will remain "chop and drop", composting and dumping on paths to dry out and then spread around the garden.
The key message, which I shall adopt, is that I will not be spending my days "weeding" but "Harvesting fertility" which sounds so much more positive.
If you want to watch the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jm9FjpWO-0&t=18s
This is my take on it -
When you cut the grass you use the cuttings as a mulch or in the compost to put the goodness from the grass back into the soil. Whatever the grass has taken from the soil in order to grow is returned to the soil. Just as when a tree loses its leaves in autumn, the leaves fall to the ground, decompose and return their nutrients back to the soil to feed the tree in the future.
When we pull up/dig out "weeds" and dispose of them we also dispose of their nutrients which they have taken from the soil in order to grow. Dandelions and docks, with their deep roots can access nutrients that shallower rooted plants cannot. That's why we grow comfrey, for its deep root system.
We should endeavour to return to the soil, that which we remove so as not to deplete it.
One way to do this is by making weed tea, drowning the "weeds" in a barrel of water and using it to feed and water the garden. I have to say that, having dabbled with comfrey tea and a nettle one, I just cannot stomach the smell of such "teas". My solution will remain "chop and drop", composting and dumping on paths to dry out and then spread around the garden.
The key message, which I shall adopt, is that I will not be spending my days "weeding" but "Harvesting fertility" which sounds so much more positive.
If you want to watch the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jm9FjpWO-0&t=18s
The Moneyless Chicken says:-
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.
![[-]](https://gardenandgossip.org/images/zen/collapse.png)