delicate community gardening situation

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

Hi everyone!

I'm new here, and want to thank you in advance for your help.

I'm a long-time organic gardener but health now makes gardening too difficult. I do have a whole lot of experience and have run into a difficult issue.

On the property of my business, I've lent about 1/6 of an acre to a group of people who wanted to create an organic garden in honor of a mutual friend who passed away. These young folks are responsible, thoughtful people whom we trust with keys, etc.

I've let then have free rein for the most part, but they let a volunteer bring in a truckload of, ostensibly, top soil that turned out to be pure clay. They used it to create two berms of native flowering plants, that are doing fine, but, obviously, it's extremely time consuming to weed. Now they are full of Bermuda grass and bindweed among other nasties. Inn not sure it's being weeded at all lol anymore. And being on my businesses property makes our operation look shabby as they are both along a side street.

I've been talking gently about my dissatisfaction with these berms for about 5 years now. I even purchased a couple of big bags of sand for them to use on it, hoping that it would make weeding easier. They decided to use the sand on other things, fearing the sand will kill the native plants Inn the been. Where they got the idea that would harm them, I have no idea. I've used sand and peat to break up clay on many occasions, in existing soil with great results.

Anyway, we talked to them again before spring, saying the berms have to go but they've done nothing to resolve the issue.

I don't think they really understand that a big blob of clay isn't considered by anyone a viable garden medium. They are now angry that we don't have appreciation of their efforts, and I'm feeling taken advantage of. If anyone has a suggestion on how to handle this beyond bulldozing those berms, I'd appreciate it.

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Comments (3)

vitrsna
9 years ago
Hi Kit...i'm new here too, and that is a sticky situation you describe. I wonder if you know a Master Gardener? Maybe you are one, but i think what you want is an impartial one. I think a 3rd uninterested party who is clearly qualified is what you might want to talk with the Clay people and hopefully the clay gardeners will listen to someone well qualified to advise them on how best to proceed. Obviously how your business property looks should be a consideration in their planning. If you have been talking with them for 5 years and are not getting anywhere, a qualified, impartial 3rd party might be the answer. Good luck.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I'm not sure this sort of situation is within the purview of the Master Gardener program but I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask. I know it wouldn't be as far as my state's MG program works.

It is your property. Therefore you have the final say on how it can be used and how it should appear. The fact that you run a business from this property should be something that they need to keep in mind and realize that the appearance of the property reflects on you and your business. It must be well kept and tidy at all times.

There is really nothing fundamentally wrong with clay. It is a perfectly good growing medium, as is obvious if both the natives and the weeds are thriving. It just can be a little hard to work with, both when bone dry or overly wet.

I would speak to the gardeners and explain the situation clearly and reasonably. Suggest that they organize a weekend work party to clear the plantings of weeds. Maybe even involve some of your employees (if any) that would be willing to help out. Once the berms are weed free, a good 2-3" thick application of a mulch - bark, wood chips, compost, etc. - will keep the weeds in check for the rest of the growing season with perhaps just a little attention now and again in case something nasty pops up. The mulch will have no negative impact on the existing natives other than to dissuade much self-seeding. And the mulch will eventually help to improve the textural quality of the berm soil as well as holding in moisture, reducing the need for a lot of watering.

The appearance of the berms will be radically improved by just weeding and mulching. Mulching always gives a garden a finished, tidy look as well providing other, less visible benefits.

If you give them choice between a weekend work party clean up and mulching or bulldozing the berms, I doubt there will be much argument. Just make your wishes clear in a calm, reasonable manner and don't let them walk all over you and your generosity of allowing them to use the property in the first place. Good luck!
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I asked some local growers - Johnson Grass spreads by rhizomes, so chopping it up or tilling in a cover crop just spreads it around - it's not as aggressive that way as bermuda grass but it's persistent. It is CRITICAL to keep the tops from doing what yours did, which is thrive and set seed. In fertile uncompacted soil, you have tertiary roots 20-30 inches down which are capable of sending up sprouts all summer. The vineyards use geese, which may be organic as heck, but impractical in a shared garden. They leave NOTHING behind that they think is edible. A "flame weeder" might work if you repeatedly use it on the new sprouts - the idea is to exhaust the root's stores of energy by forcing them to grow leaves faster than the leaves can resupply the roots storage. ==================== This OLD research explains the root development cycle and where to interrupt it: http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/ORC00000094/PDF They are in favor of repeated SHALLOW cultivation to force the roots to resprout to the point of exhaustion, and even (if you have repeated freeze-thaw cycles) shallow cultuvation in winter to expose and freeze the roots. They are also in favor of close mowing or grazing to keep the plants too small to support the big, deep problem roots, what they call the tertiary roots. ========================= If you are in the "organic" section, that limits your chemical options. You might kill it with repeated applications of "horticultural" vinegar (the 20% stuff, or a minimum of 10%) but it's nasty to use. Be sure to read the MSDS and wear appropriate skin, eye and lung protection. http://www.groworganic.com/organic-gardening/articles/help-johnson-grass http://www.gardenguides.com/139610-organic-control-johnson-grass.html They claim this works: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Avenger-Weed-Killer-128-oz-Organic-Weed-Killer-Herbicide-Concentrated-AVGR-Conct-128oz/204336249 NOTE: the "organic" solution you see on Pinterest and other blogs, with vinegar, dish soap and salt is really bad for your soil and doesn't work worth a darn.
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lazy_gardens
9 years ago
"
I've been talking gently about my dissatisfaction with these berms for
about 5 years now." And they've been blowing you off for 4.9 years ... time to stop speaking softly and break out the big stick.

Give them a deadline, after which you will break out the sprayer full of ROUNDUP and annihilate the berm's plants, then BULLDOZE it flat and PAVE IT!!!!

An alternative would be to bluntly tell them that their inability to keep up with the maintenance must mean that they have moved on in their lives and you need to find someone who can give the area the respect and attention it deserves.

Then find a new group, and have a written contract about maintenance and weed control.

delicate community gardening situation

Comments (3)

vitrsna

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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lazy_gardens

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