I have an idea and I need some opinions from more experienced people.
In the part of my yard where I grow vegetables,the soil has become extremely compact and hard,with very little organic material and earthworms,probably resulting from tilling the soil every year(which was not done by me).This clay-like properties of my soil resulted in reduced growth and root rot,especially in the greenhouse.This is the 1st year I alone am growing vegetables,and I wanted to do it without tilling,in a more 'organic' way.I wanted to re-introduce organic matter to the soil as well as improve it's structure.The idea is to use green variety(since it grows faster) of a common houseplant chlorophytum comosum,together with tradecantia fluminensis,both planted densely.The 1st year,they would cover the ground,and smother the invading weeds which are a real problem in my yard.Because they are not frost hardy,and produce almost no viable seed,they would all die in winter and their leaves would create a layer of organic matter.C.Comosum is especially important with it's fleshy,thick roots,as it will decompact and brake up the soil,and once it's roots die after the winter,it would leave a hollow structures in the soil,as if the earthworms made them,in addition to adding more organic matter.What do you think? Would this work?
chlorphytum is very fleshy and would cover weeds, but probably would not be the best choice for improving the soil. An inoculated legume might be better like sunhemp or cowpeas. Hairy vetch could be planted with winter rye to control the weeds and the vetch would add nitrogen and both would add biomass in the Spring. For weed control and biomass buckwheat or you may be able to use winter ryegrass. For the compaction, fodder radish, here we would use gondule beans and sun hemp. I even use sunflowers to help break into compacted soil.
Using a tiller is actually a good way to cause compaction and drainage problems. The tiller breaks up soil, but only in the top 4-8 inches. The weight of the tiller and walking behind it just compacts the layers further down. When you plant, the roots stay in the soil that offers the least resistance and so they don't go very deep into the compacted soil. Forkingthe soil does help as it provides passages for the water to get into the deeper soil and keeping everything moist and adding lots of organic matter. The earthworms will do the rest tilling as they travel in the soil.
Using a tiller is actually a good way to cause compaction and drainage problems. The tiller breaks up soil, but only in the top 4-8 inches. The weight of the tiller and walking behind it just compacts the layers further down. When you plant, the roots stay in the soil that offers the least resistance and so they don't go very deep into the compacted soil. Forkingthe soil does help as it provides passages for the water to get into the deeper soil and keeping everything moist and adding lots of organic matter. The earthworms will do the rest tilling as they travel in the soil.
The idea was to use the plants that wouldn't become weeds themselves,that's why I wanted to use mentioned plants,and well,because I have tons of them and don't know what to do with them 
Also,and I don't know if this is possible,but I don't want to lose entire year without planting any vegetables in the part I'm doing this,so I wanted to simultaneously revitalize the soil and grow something on it.I only want to improve structure,fertility is not a problem because I use lots of natural fertilizers like manure.I think I'll try to get most of the seeds of plants you suggested,but I'll do it my way too on a small area just to see the results
Tilling is evil,there,I said it.It reduces organic matter and kills pretty much anything that might live in there,many microbes,fungus and earthworms.In fact a healthy soil is a large portion by weight made of living organisms.Not to mention erosion that happens after there's nothing to hold it together.I wonder for how much longer people will be able to till the same areas again and again.I recently saw an area where comercial growers grow sugar beet,the soil there is as hard as a rock,and you couldn't find a single earthworm in the entire field.Perhaps they're planning to grow cactuses there in the near future,because it really looks like a desert
Also,and I don't know if this is possible,but I don't want to lose entire year without planting any vegetables in the part I'm doing this,so I wanted to simultaneously revitalize the soil and grow something on it.I only want to improve structure,fertility is not a problem because I use lots of natural fertilizers like manure.I think I'll try to get most of the seeds of plants you suggested,but I'll do it my way too on a small area just to see the results
Tilling is evil,there,I said it.It reduces organic matter and kills pretty much anything that might live in there,many microbes,fungus and earthworms.In fact a healthy soil is a large portion by weight made of living organisms.Not to mention erosion that happens after there's nothing to hold it together.I wonder for how much longer people will be able to till the same areas again and again.I recently saw an area where comercial growers grow sugar beet,the soil there is as hard as a rock,and you couldn't find a single earthworm in the entire field.Perhaps they're planning to grow cactuses there in the near future,because it really looks like a desert
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applestar
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Where are you located?
If you want to start working on the soil now to prepare for planting next spring with entire winter for various biological activities then information about when the first frost would be is vital. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere and spring is already approaching, then it's a whole another approach.
Is something planted there now?
If you want to start working on the soil now to prepare for planting next spring with entire winter for various biological activities then information about when the first frost would be is vital. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere and spring is already approaching, then it's a whole another approach.
Is something planted there now?
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HoneyBerry
- Greener Thumb
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@applestar
I'm in Serbia,a country located in Europe,the wiki briefly explains the climate here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Serbia
I grew mostly peppers and tomatoes this year,and they are still going.I think that by the end of september all the plants outside will be gone,while the ones in the greenhouse might be still alive by then,but soon die too due to low temperatures.So yeah I don't think I can do much in a month and a half,but next year I can.I was thinking of putting a thick layer of dead plant material on the top of the soil in the autumn,and hopefully it would partially decompose by the time I'm supposed to plant something there,and attract a lot of earthworms,maybe that alone would be enough? Also,about the weeds,I have many species growing in my yard,but only 5 of them are really problematic as they outcompete any other plant,these are:
Amaranthus retroflexus
Chenopodium album
Portulaca oleracea
Cynodon dactylon
Setaria verticillata
And all of them being C4 plants,it's obvious why're they so successful.As annoying as they are,I find them fascinating at the same time,their adaptability is incredible.I've been observing amaranthus for over a decade now,and this plant can even morph into other shapes to fit the conditions,or grow in such a small volume of soil that it reaches only a few centimeters in height but still manages to make seeds before it dies,and on the other hand,when conditions are ideal,is able to reach more than 1.5 meters in height,and stem thickness of a child's arm.Ok,sorry I got a little too talkative about weeds now,but I think in the future they will play a key role in improving all crops.
I'm in Serbia,a country located in Europe,the wiki briefly explains the climate here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Serbia
I grew mostly peppers and tomatoes this year,and they are still going.I think that by the end of september all the plants outside will be gone,while the ones in the greenhouse might be still alive by then,but soon die too due to low temperatures.So yeah I don't think I can do much in a month and a half,but next year I can.I was thinking of putting a thick layer of dead plant material on the top of the soil in the autumn,and hopefully it would partially decompose by the time I'm supposed to plant something there,and attract a lot of earthworms,maybe that alone would be enough? Also,about the weeds,I have many species growing in my yard,but only 5 of them are really problematic as they outcompete any other plant,these are:
Amaranthus retroflexus
Chenopodium album
Portulaca oleracea
Cynodon dactylon
Setaria verticillata
And all of them being C4 plants,it's obvious why're they so successful.As annoying as they are,I find them fascinating at the same time,their adaptability is incredible.I've been observing amaranthus for over a decade now,and this plant can even morph into other shapes to fit the conditions,or grow in such a small volume of soil that it reaches only a few centimeters in height but still manages to make seeds before it dies,and on the other hand,when conditions are ideal,is able to reach more than 1.5 meters in height,and stem thickness of a child's arm.Ok,sorry I got a little too talkative about weeds now,but I think in the future they will play a key role in improving all crops.
One way to get rid of both problems would be to cover the ground where you have weed problems with thick layer of cardboard and or newspapers, then add a good layer of compost covered with mulch. And you grow on top of that. After a while this will also greatly increase the organic matter in the soil. Worms usually quite quick to show up under the cardboard breaking down the dying weeds. I'm not sure but I think they call it lasagna method or something similar in english it usually holds a few more layers/ingredients than my suggestion and thats great IF you have it all accesable.
With this method your making two main things to topsoil: Your improving the old top soil with organic matter, and you add a good layer of new topsoil on top of that. Raising the topspoil level, so your working both ways. I'm not saying this is THE method, but it can be something for you to consider atleast.
Also to keep these weeds out of your beeds in the future making best uses of your bed is a good thing as well mulching. Bare soil will sprout new weed plants with rapid fasion.
With this method your making two main things to topsoil: Your improving the old top soil with organic matter, and you add a good layer of new topsoil on top of that. Raising the topspoil level, so your working both ways. I'm not saying this is THE method, but it can be something for you to consider atleast.
Also to keep these weeds out of your beeds in the future making best uses of your bed is a good thing as well mulching. Bare soil will sprout new weed plants with rapid fasion.