Would this soil plot be worth using? *PICS*

[bate181]

I want to expand my gardening and i have quite a bit of soil, but its heavily infested with weeds. my real question is can this amount of weeds ruin the soil in any way? i would obviously get rid of all the weeds and rocks, amend it, etc. would it be worth it?

[Worth1]

I've seen worse, a LOT worse.

Worth

[robin303]

I would till it then build a raised bed. What I do is lay out newspaper about 20 sheets thick overlaping in which the seeds can't sprout then start importing good soil and all the other goodies. Go for it.

[bryanccfshr]

Weeds are your friends. I would be more woried if nothing grew their. The weeds are bringing up minerals and nutrients from down deep. They are soil builders not ruiners. The rocks are simply physical work to remove. Seems like a weedeater and a wheel barrel (to haulo the rocks will get you started. The next step would be to determine if you want to go at ground level or raised bed at ground level I recomend double digging and or tilling and removing any large rocks you find with a crowbar and wheelbarrow etc.. Once cleared out of rocks start the soilbuilding program. Having arid region soil you likely have alkaline soil that is low in organic matter so adding lots of organic matter is your best tool. a year of adding organic matter through compost clippings leaves and cover crops such as mung beans, black eyed peas and in the winter rye grass or ebon.

Good luck and enjoy it.

[bate181]

helpful responses.

i actually had a garden here 2 years ago. this would be all tomatoes if i did plant. and i hope to plant within a month. ill probably plant ground level and just amend the soil thoroughly.

[elkwc36]

It should work. My first year here I didn't get ownership till June 1st and had weeds already a few feet tall and tilled them under and added amended each hole well similar to Earl's method and had good results. It will only get better with time but I see no reason it shouldn't work this year. JD

[coronabarb]

I see bindweed...the little white flowers. It's practically impossible to totally get rid of but if you keep pulling it when it pops back up, you can keep it somewhat under control. It spreads by underground roots/runners. Get rid of the rocks and go for it.

[bate181]

Originally Posted by coronabarb

I see bindweed...the little white flowers. It's practically impossible to totally get rid of but if you keep pulling it when it pops back up, you can keep it somewhat under control. It spreads by underground roots/runners. Get rid of the rocks and go for it.

i was told those little white flowers contain seeds. im not sure if thats true. but i know they burst apart easily spreading the seeds everywhere

edit: nevermind, i was talking about the round white tops on the weeds around the rocks and everywhere else

[oc tony]

I would try Earls hole method . Dig a hole one foot deep & 3 feet wide & add half a bag of composted steer manure, a handful of empson salt & a handfull of tomato tone organic fertilizer. mix it all up forming a 2 inch deep basin for watering. I'd space the holes at least three feet apart.

[coronabarb]

Yes, I neglected to say the flowers will result in seeds too. But I constantly pick the stuff and don't let any flowers go to seed and it just keeps coming back. I hate the stuff but I won't let it stop me from growing things. :-)

[barkeater]

That doesn't look like bindweed to me. Bindweed is a vine with heart shaped leaves that wraps around anything growing upwards. It does have white flowers shaped like small morning glories.

[dcarch]

With a tall fence behind, perfect place for growing tomatoes. You got great ready made stakes.

Those rocks look very nice. They would cost a fortune here from a landscape place. I would save them and use them for landscaping.

dcarch

[coronabarb]

"That doesn't look like bindweed to me."

You could be right...that's what it looks like in my yard where it's dry. The vine isn't as noticeable as the white flowers in the dry areas. Where there's some water, the leaves get bigger.

[oc tony]

Looks like dandelions to me.

[elkwc36]

I'm from the bindweed capital of the USA and it don't look like it from what I can see in the pictures. But would need better pictures to tell. Yes it is hard to get rid of but you can. I had some in mine and just didn't garden that area for a few years and sprayed it with round up and then kept it pulled and now have none. Just have to watch the fence lines as my neighbors do nothing to theirs. JD