Mulching bunching onions?

[Tracydr]

I'm having issues with Bermuda grass in my new patch of potato onions. I'm wondering if I can mulch, maybe with newspaper/straw. But, how would the onions spread if I did this? Seems like anything I do do prevent the spread of Bermuda grass would also cause the onions not to spread.
I hate Bermuda grass!
I guess my only option is to lift the onions and either keep the out until winter or move them to an area with less grass problem, although they just started to grow well, so I really hate to do this.
I used to have this same problem when I had an asparagus patch in Oklahoma and never did find a good solution. I'd like to learn how to deal with this, as I'm sure when we move in a year or two I'll be planting more perinniel fruits and veggies.

[RebelRidin]

I think you are right that any mulch that could suppress that grass would pose problems for your onions.

Are you completely opposed to herbicide? This kind of problem is why I used to use a home made handheld rope wick applicator with a certain herbicide in it. Touch the offending plant to kill it without killing those around it.

Just a thought...

[Tracydr]

I would consider a touch of round-up but would really prefer not to unless I really need to. Do you have a picture of your wick applicator?

[RebelRidin]

Hi Tracy,

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the one I made. It was a short length of 1.5" PVC pipe. One end had a cap with a 2" wick of braided nylon rope sticking out and the other end had a fitting that took a threaded plug for filling it.. The wick was held in place by a 1/2" brass pressure fitting.

I filled it with roundup diluted 3:1 . A little went a long way and I would only make a couple cups of mix at a time. The wick was touched/rubbed onto the weed painting it with the roundup. I used it mostly to kill dandelions and some poisin ivy that had invaded some ground covers.