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Old April 17, 2013   #18
Redbaron
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
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Originally Posted by zeroma View Post
Just so I understand, you put the burlap over the other layers of organic matterials to keep it light locked and help with the composting? Or is it just the burlap on the ground to kill the weeds or grass or what ever was already there?
Weed barrier.

A 3 feet wide roll of burlap rolled out right over the sod. No till or plow or anything. Now I did lightly scatter a few coffee grounds first to attract and feed worms. (sometimes I use cracked corn or rolled oats too, but this row got only coffee grounds) Then hay right over the burlap.

Couple weeks later dig through the hay and use a knife to cut a hole in the burlap, and plant the broccoli starts right in the partially dying sod. (It should die completely by late spring, mid summer)

The soil under the burlap was noticeably better than the soil under the cardboard, paper, or landscaping felt. As of yet, I have no clue why.(except there were a LOT of worms) Plants took off better too. It is an early result though, caution against drawing too many conclusions yet.
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"Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system."
Bill Mollison
co-founder of permaculture

Last edited by Redbaron; April 17, 2013 at 10:29 AM.
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