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Hello people, I need some advice. I have tried a bit of container gardening and I am trying outdoor gardening for the first time this year. I got a small patch of land in a community garden of sorts. This patch is currently overrun by weeds and grass. Do you recommend getting it tilled and then planting or is some no-till option better/easier?
Edit: uploaded pictures
Edit 2: Thanks to everyone who responded with their thoughtful suggestions 😊 I really appreciate it. I will have to draw up a longer term plan for the garden and avoid tilling as much as possible.

Spongebob 7 Apr 30
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1

Your spare time and devotion will be the limiting factor. Another one is access to tools, plants, seeds, and fencing. I helped create a community garden inside of a botanical garden...but got little cooperation. I needed fencing, tools. etc...and was pointed to the tool shed...so I was on my own. Glad to say others took up where I left off and now the garden has raised beds, good mulch, and a new fence...as well as many more volunteers.

It's a tough call;

1

As MikeInBaton, I use plain brown cardboard anchored with rocks. Almost every online order comes with it. Punch holes or slit the card board where you wish to plant seeds or plants. To make it attractive, bark mulch is always a good choice. Looks as if their is a slope. A terraced garden might be a choice. 4 ft X 4ft makes for easy access when weed pulling is called for. A path between? Mulching is a gardeners best friend.

Mooolah Level 8 May 1, 2022
2

Tilling is the traditional choice to prep a garden site. But the more That I learn about soil biology, percolation issues, and garden ecology, the more I come down on the side of no-till. There are arguments for both sides, but think about how you want to use that space, what you want to grow, and then ask if tilling actually makes any sense. It is generally more work. Tilling activates countless weed seeds to germinate. The roots that are already in the soil may be intimidating. But generally, if you cover the planting area with a weed barrier material, then compost medium on top of that several inches deep, allow to sit for several weeks, then plant what you want, usually those existing weeds will have withered back.
Several here recommended black plastic. Others use weed cloth, which has plastic components to it. I have used both, but they eventually must be removed, lest they break up and leave micro-plastics fragments in the soil. Environmentally and in terms of convenience, I now prefer brown waste cardboard stripped of any tape or stickers. It will last as a weed barrier for several months, then contribute carbon to help build up the soil. No need ever to dig it up and disturb the planted area. (Plus there tends to be endless supplies, free for the asking!)
Here is a pros and cons article that ultimately comes down on the side of no-till.
[blog.gardeningknowhow.com]

One point I did not see mentioned in the article specifically is that if soil is dense clay, as mine is, tilling a limited area risks creating a "soup bowl" effect, in which water trickles in more easily to the tilled soil(at least in the initial weeks), but becomes trapped by the surrounding un-tilled denser soil, potentially drowning plant roots. This is a non issue for loamy or sandy soil.

I know I am rambling on forever, buuuut, one more argument: relying on tilling typically assumes an annual pattern of planting and replanting. It is useless if you hope to grow perennials year after year(he reiterated redundantly, 😉).
One more article: [ucanr.edu]

Thanks!

4

If you want to try an organic weed killer, mix 1 gallon 10% vinegar, 2 pounds of epsom salt, 1/4 cup dawn dishwashing liquid. Dissolve the Epsom salt in the vinigar, then add the dawn. shake well , spray directly on the weeds early on a sunny day, wet all the leaves. I've used this for years.

For planting, if you use already started plants, they make a drill attachment for planting bulbs. It is great for making you holes to insert your entire root ball. I agree with @AnneWimsey, don't till. after planting cover your exposed soil with 2-4 inches of finely shredded either bark mulch or hardwood mulch.

glennlab Level 10 Apr 30, 2022
7

Tilling is the Worst thing you can do, all the dormant weed seeds will then be planted,to their great happiness!
Cover fully with heavy black plastic held down tightly by rocks or stakes for a few weeks, then carefully peel away & discard the top 2++>inches, then plant. You can cut the plastic to strips or plant in holes punched in it for mulch, thencover with wood chips for looks if you wish

AnneWimsey Level 9 Apr 30, 2022

Yep.

5

Gardening is about 90% subduing weeds. Looks like there’s an area where someone has already put some black plastic down. If it has been there at least a month, you’re ahead of the game.

In any case remove the existing weeds first. Use a lawnmower at its lowest setting. If there’s plastic sheeting remove it before mowing or it will get tangled in the mower.

Once the mowing is done, use a weedeater ( or a hoe ) to clear a strip about 8 inches wide where you want the row - down to bare earth. Use a hoe to drag a shallow ( 1 in. ) trench for seeds in the cleared area, or break the soil every few inches with a garden trowel to drop seeds, then cover with loose soil. Or if planting live plants, dig appropriately sized holes. I find that tomatoes need amendments but beans don’t - but soils vary, so just experiment.

Once seeds are up an inch or so, mulch on both sides of the row and between plants where possible to at least six inch depth. I’ve used leaves, pine straw, grass clippings, sawdust, almost anything organic that will decompose in time but block the light so weeds can’t sprout. But black plastic between rows can work too.

Water once a day for the first week, or until seeds germinate. Thereafter, only if it hasn’t rained in a week.

Keep an eagle eye out for weeds that do manage to sprout, and pull them immediately, and add more mulch wherever it isn’t thick enough.

This is what I do for row crops, but melons, for example, need different treatment. Melons and squash prefer mounded soil, and lots of room to spread. But always mulch, mulch, mulch.

A lot depends on the soil in your location, and which plants you want to grow. I never till and have had pretty good success. I find it’s good to take a multi-year view of gardening. What you do one year will affect next year.

I get organic amendments from this company:
[arbico-organics.com]

Have fun and send photos of your results!

skado Level 9 Apr 30, 2022

Thanks for the detailed comment 😊

8

You could lay some black plastic down to kill the weeds without tilling or herbicides, then take it up after a couple of hot sunny days that cooked the weeds and their seeds. Be sure to anchor it down with lots of rocks in case it gets windy. Then till it without having weed sprout up everywhere.

OldGoat43 Level 9 Apr 30, 2022
7

Depends a lot on size and your patience. The quickest way to clear the weeds is herbicide, but only if you are not organic, then after a couple of doses and three to four weeks, you may cultivate or not as you like. The second easiest is a black plastic sheet, but that will take several months. The third way would be cultivation, which if they are only annual weeds and smaller less deep rooted grasses, will take only a couple of months, but if there are deep rooted weeds then it may take you the whole first year. Without a photo and or more details, especially about the types of weed, it is not possible to say much more.

Fernapple Level 9 Apr 30, 2022
4

Any chance you could post a photo or two?

MizJ Level 8 Apr 30, 2022

I have posted two, they are not great but hopefully they are helpful

6

A lot depends on the condition of the soil, whether it is ground level or raised bed. Has it been worked in the last several years? When was the last time amendments were added? Regardless, you need to remove as much of the weeds as is possible. That will tell you a lot about the composition of soil. Sorry I wasn't more help.

glennlab Level 10 Apr 30, 2022

I will try to find out the history of the plot, thanks, hadn't occurred to me 😅

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