As practitioners of permaculture, if is our duty to understand that there is a natural system in place to balance out all issues we may face..
For me, when I first moved onto my property, it was at first the 130yo black/english walnut tree in my front yard. Then, it was the dreaded Bermuda grass which the previous owners deliberately sowed around the property.
Discouragement filled me Everytime I witnessed this invasive species creep towards my crops. Until one day I notice something. Where the Bermuda grass had invaded all other areas, the earth underneath this old walnut tree was covered only by it's own system of self fertilization and reproduction. The Bermuda grass literally grew around this area as if stopped by some sort of invisible wall.
It was at this point that I realized the solution to my Bermuda grass problem rested with this old tree that I had contemplated cutting down since I moved in.
How I get rid of Bermuda grass, and keep it surpressed. Is every fall I gather up leaves and save all the hulls. I shred them, and I put a layer of mulch down on top of brown paper in my pathways between my raised beds. The highth of the beds prevents the toxicity of juglone from poisoning my crops, yet allows this natural system of self preservation to surpress and kill the Bermuda grass. The one year I decided not to take from the walnut tree, the Bermuda grass failed to return. I am now rotating this treatment plan throughout several areas of my property.
I am currently examining the allelopathic effects of other plants as a method of Bermuda control, as I feel that this could be a completely natural way to effectly surpress and erradicate this, and many other invasive weeds without the use of strenuous labor or toxic chemicals.
