HOMESTEADING AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

[Britesea]

It took years, but I finally (knock on wood here) seem to have eradicated bindweed. At least, I never saw any last year, and none yet this year.

 

[baymule]

Too bad vegetables aren’t as tough as weeds. Sure would make growing vegetables a no brainer.

 

[Britesea]

Well, chard comes close, lol

 

[tortoise]

I have a pasture infested with thistles. Send help!

 

[Daisy]

I pour boiling water over a few of the weeds that I cant pull out along the driveway. I'd love to try a steam machine on them one day, even if they needed a few days worth of whacking with it.

I have that sort of runner grass too but not out of control. There is a heap of African types that are tough to remove with thousands of seeds on. They are worse than the others for me but only come up in clumps.

 

[Mini Horses]

Vinegar helps but, needs to be strong. If you can find commercial or powdered that you can leave strong. Helps with many weeds.. Grasses are so much harder and mostly due to the roof structure, their roving ways! I've used my torch and left a lot of black spots in the fall but it did "help" so long as I got to them while they were still growing. Some you have the seed problems.

I'm like @baymule...wish the veggies were so determined!

In my pastures, keeping goats there on a regular basis has gotten rid of many species. Some the don't eat well, they need more work from we humans. It is a constant battle -- if you don't use chems!

 

[tortoise]

In my pastures, keeping goats there on a regular basis has gotten rid of many species. Some the don't eat well, they need more work from we humans. It is a constant battle -- if you don't use chems!

It's getting to a point that we might Round-up that whole pasture. DH just finished a fence project so it would be feasible to keep sheep off the small thistle pasture for a couple years. Inconvenient, but feasible.

I would be digging thistles out now, but the rams are in that pasture. Can't wait to be rid of my dangerous ram. I think this year. Gotta wait to make sure we got ewe lambs out of the 3 ewes bred to him.

 

[Britesea]

Sow thistle is edible- leaves, flowers and roots (eat while young and less bitter, and cut the spines off). I don't know what type of thistles you have, but I've read that most of them you can at least eat the flowers.

 

[flowerbug]

Too bad vegetables aren’t as tough as weeds. Sure would make growing vegetables a no brainer.

you've never met purselane? it grows here and Mom considers it a weed and she won't eat any of it, but once in a while i will eat some so i don't try too hard to eradicate all of it. the plant is so different that i like it as a contrast to other plants.

bindweed is not in our yard but morning glories are in a few spots that i'm trying to get it out of after it dropped many thousands of seeds.

 

[Britesea]

We love purslane for salads. I especially like that if I get crazy and pull more than we need for that day's salads, it stays fresh and crispy in the fridge for a LOT longer than lettuce does. But, not only is purslane good to eat...

Like most living ground cover, purslane stabilizes soil moisture, conserving water and keeping your garden healthier. Mulch does this as well, but purslane goes a lot further. It has very deep roots that reach nutrients and water that most garden plants can't access. So contrary to what most people believe a weed does, which is compete with your plants, purslane is one of many weeds that actually enriches the top layer of soil for your other garden plants. In addition to this, it breaks up hard soil, allowing other plants to develop a more established root system. (from steemit.com/gardening)