1. Winning the War on Weeds

In this workshop, John Moody discusses solarization, proper design, mulching, and tools and tips to create weed-resistant annual and perennial growing spaces.

3 Natural Methods to Boost Yields and Stop Weeds

Homesteading expert John Moody outlines three proven techniques to suppress weed pressure, build soil health, and regulate soil temperatures using natural farm management practices.

1. Understory Cover Cropping (Living Mulch)

This technique involves planting short cover crops directly beneath taller, vertical main crops (like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers) instead of leaving bare soil.

• The Benefits: Shading the soil drops summer ground temperatures by 30°F to 40°F compared to bare dirt (which can hit a stressful 120°F). It retains moisture, creates habitats for beneficial predatory insects (like ladybugs), and grows winter fertilizer.

• Best Crops to Use: Short, nitrogen-fixing varieties like clover.

• Management Strategies:

  • Timing: Don’t start the cover crop too far ahead of your main crop, or transplanting will be difficult. Use taller transplants to give the food crops a head start.

  • The Scythe Method: If the cover crop grows too thick, cut it back with a hand scythe to give the main crop breathing room and catch any stray weeds.

2. Soil Solarization

Solarization harnesses sun energy through clear plastic to quickly burn off existing weeds, kill weed seeds, drive back pests, and minimize soil-borne diseases.

• The Setup Process:

  1. Mow and Prep: Thoroughly mow the area with a push mower and remove sharp debris/sticks that could puncture the tarp.

  2. Add Water: Ensure the soil has high moisture levels; dry soil cannot effectively transfer or bank the heat required to kill seeds.

  3. Trench and Bury: Dig trenches and bury the tarp on all four sides to trap heat. (Tip: For light, shallow cool-season weeds like chickweed, you can skip burying the edges. For deep-rooted rhizome grasses or nut-sedge, burying all four sides is mandatory).

• The Tarp Test: Look for moisture condensation forming on the underside of the plastic. If no moisture appears, the soil is too dry and needs more water.

• Duration & Timing: Requires 3 to 5 sunny days minimum (up to 14 days for severe issues) during hot weather. If used in early spring, it pulls double-duty by warming up cold soils for early nightshade and sweet potato plantings.

3. Organic Bio-Mulching

Mulching denies light to weed seeds to prevent germination while feeding the soil food web.

• The Gold Standard: Aged, rotted wood chips are highly recommended for their 80% to 90% water retention capabilities during droughts.

• The Fresh vs. Rotted Rule: Never use fresh wood chips in your vegetable growing beds. Fresh wood contains chemicals that harm active crops.

  • The Sight & Smell Test: If you can still visually identify the tree species (cedar, oak, pine) or smell the raw wood, it is not ready for the garden. Use fresh chips on walking paths only, where their natural chemicals helpfully suppress weeds.

• Required Depths for 95% Weed Suppression:

  • Rotted Wood Chips: 3 to 4 inches deep.

  • Straw Mulch: 4 to 8 inches deep (leaning closer to 8 inches).

• Spring Drawback: Organic mulches insulate and cool the soil significantly. In a cool spring, you must physically rake the mulch backward to let the sun warm the bare dirt before putting early crops in the ground.

• Crop Exceptions: Wood chips work on almost every food and flower crop except fine-seeded, delicate root vegetables like carrots, beets, and spinach.