Adam Oaktree

Hello permies!

What would you use to suppress general weeds?

Looking for some low ground cover. I was thinking clover.. vetch etc.  Wondering about some flowering ground cover too..  Planning on growing some fruit trees and squash within it come springtime.

I'm tilling an area to remove and hopefully stop bindweed from growing. The patch I tested last spring seems to have worked.. bindweed doesn't like tilled soil, but doing so does release other weeds.
So early spring I want to sow a large swathe with ground cover.

much love

Bryant RedHawk wrote:I would suspect the construction work was the cause of the hedge demise, that much root damage is not recoverable from by conifers or deciduous trees.
Each branch of a tree has a corresponding section of roots, main branches have main root sections, kill the root, kill the branch.
You state that this work was within one foot of the trunks, that is far to close for survival of the hedge plants, feeder roots are usually at least 3 feet distant from a trunk, within a foot, main roots were most likely cut thus killing the branches they were connected to.  

Since the construction work has been done as well as the resulting damage, about the only thing to do is replant.

I would also try to do some soil improvement with addition of compost or compost extracts, this will improve the biology of the soil.
You will want to add fungi and bacteria with fungi being the higher number of organisms about a 2:1 ratio would be best, but what you add can only improve what is there now.

Redhawk

Do conifers or acid loving trees not prefer a fungal dominated soil?  Or is that only alkaline loving trees.

Also I've been looking at compost suppliers here in the uk that deliver a whole bag upto 900L coming straight from their compost pile.
Then found out about ericaceous compost. Unfortunately this isn't delivered in large bags, coming in the regular bags.

Do you think ericaceous is necessary?

Thank you for getting back to me RedHawk.. I'm surprised they prefer an acidic soil, but it makes sense that the extended rhizome area all around the trees would have self regulated their needs.. I'm assuming left over concrete powder was dumped on the right hand side..

The actual work was..
Imagine a a conifer hedge 10 metres across with an exposed ditch in front of it. this ditch was covered with paving, a foot from the trunks of the hedge. I'm assuming concrete was used as a base layer with some deeper holes used for structure as I can see them, 2 large bowling ball sized clumps spaced some feet apart in the middle of the hedge.

The work was basically right in line with the edge of the root zone. If this is the cause of the die back what would you do?

There is a lot here in reply I know, my gratitude for you who takes the time to read

It's the uk so it's generally wet although weather patterns are a changing. Yes is thinks it's a leylandi.

I will have to check about the needles, being dead but green for six months is not something I realised.
The hedge was obviously nice and green all over before trimming, it gets trimmed every year.

With the humus content I was very surprised.. it has its own leaves breaking down under there maybe that's it? The lamotte soil test was not showing just a little bit of humus but a lot! Could it be the moisture content that's the real issue?

The hedge is about 10 meters long, I performed 3 soil tests taking and mixing 3 samples for each. Work using concrete had been done at the base of the trees especially in the middle it seemed and a wanted a ph reading.  From left to right I got  a ph of 5.8 , 5.6, 6.7.  I found a white layer of powder under the first half inch of soil in 2 places. I was unsure whether it was fungus or concrete powder. Maybe the far right was subjected to the remains of the concrete. Still, the other two ph tests could indicate a serious problem in the trees uptake of minerals.

But yes I agree with bringing some living compost to the area, woodchip and mulch to retain moisture, and some mineral adjustment.
I also would like to raise the ph center and left, calcium carbonate should be alright with some added Epsom salts for some extra magnesium and a little extra phosphorus.

I'm also concerned about the high levels of nitrate nitrogen in the soil. This can Ben harmful can't it? I was getting a maximum reading of 150ppa on all three tests. I think 40 is suggested as healthy.

Hi peeps, I'm wondering if anyone knows of a really good quality, alive and full of micro organisms compost  here in the uk.

Good day permaculture wizards, how do?

What are your reasons for say a conifer hedge to start going brown and what are your success in bringing it back to life?

What would be the fastest way to bring life back to these trees. The soil is very dry and loose, sandy with a light brown colour and 0 earthworms.
My thoughts first to chlorophyll and the lack of, poor water retention no organic matter and the fact that nobody thinks about feeding their hedge.

Ive done a soil test, levels of minerals using a teams test are decent, humus is also high, magnesium is low and nitrogen is very high reading 150 ppa.

Pleasant days
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Hello there, I'm wondering. I made a batch of water and grass. Left it too long, it stank most awfully. I removed the grass content and I've had a large container of this liquid for over a month now. Is it still good to use?

Pleasant days
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My apologies and thanks to everyone for my blankness and your great ideas.

I am in the uk actually so winter is fast approaching. Unfortunately the group looking after the plot are more focused on wild flowers and beautifying the area which is amazing! I just prefer fruit

Would a compost tea really go wasted on top of woodchip? My thoughts were to apply compost, em1 tea if I had it, fungi, then lay chip on top and some brush.
Also unfortunately people like aesthetics rather than what's best for the soil. Helping this orchard is a mini battle.

What would you use over here as a nitrogen fixer when the trees are already planted about 5 meters apart? bushes trees, your favourite? Probably best for another thread.