Using it around the orchard trees or in among the vegetables? If in among the vegetables then I'd suggest some in-depth research first into its ingredients and the effects of vegetable crops. Specifically trifluralin. There have been some previous discussions here about its use around vegetables but I don't know if they are still available or not. Dave

I cast a wandering eye at a big roll of contractors paper at Lowes a few days ago. sold in the paint department to protect hardwood floors. It was 48" and 50 ft of thick brown paper, and I thought, ooooh, that would be so easy to put on the ground and kick with my foot. And also be good width for a daylily bed along my side fence. I don't recall the price, but it seemed inexpensive, especially since I don't subsribe to the newspaper, like 20-something dollars. Hey, see you guys later--gotta go to Lowes.....

It looks like you are using the fence pieces to make mini retaining walls/terraces. This appears to be working for you as a temporary measure but I don't think this will work as a permanent measure. Some sort of deeply rooting plant might be able to hold your soil in place if established before the fence pieces give out or rot. Or you could try something a little heavier and less likely to decompose and less likely to fail under the pressure of the soil and moisture behind your wall (stone, treated landscape timbers, etc.). One of the trickier aspects to this is to have a system that retains soil but lets water escape so that you don't have too large a build up of water which can blow out a wall. Another poster mentioned he might try gabions for a project. I have not used gabions yet but they seem like they could be a viable option for your project and gabions can themselves be planted.

Let's be accurate in this reporting: "EPA considers trifluralin to be a possible human carcinogen (11). This classification is used when there is limited or uncertain information indicating that a chemical may cause cancer in animals receiving high doses of the chemical over the course of their lifetimes. In a 2-year study of rats fed 325 mg/kg/day, the highest dose tested, malignant tumors developed in the kidneys, bladder and thyroid (7, 12). Because there is a possible increase in the risk of cancer to humans, EPA's Lifetime Health Advisory level for trifluralin drinking water includes an additional safety margin " Since humans generally don't eat Preen, and are even less likely to do so in high doses, the chances of this chemical actually causing cancer are rather low. And ALL kinds of substances - not just pesticides - can cause cancer or be overly toxic if ingested or exposed to in high enough doses.