Permanent solution required...

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by ho-hum, Apr 3, 2007.

  1. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

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    Does anyone know of an organic method of permanently stopping weed growth under fencelines. I am thinking electric fences here.

    I am probably asking the impossible. Maybe I should plant something like dichondra or some other ground cover..... I have a boundary distance of some 2500 metres so it'd be some job!!.

    Any suggestions welcome

    floot
     
  2. janahn

    janahn Junior Member

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    clearing fence line

    1st maybe use old sump oil as a thick line spray under the wire. need to test application rates.

    2nd hand clear with a machette or mow before fence is erected. if you then have grazing sheep for instance and the bottom wire is at least 30 cm above ground, they will keep the grass clear after they have learnt to stay away from the hot wire. you need to implement intensive cell grazing techniques for this to work.

    3rd when an electric fence line is kept clean, a single piece of grass is usually zapped away if the pulse is strong enough.

    regards leo mahon permaculture design institute
     
  3. Jez

    Jez Junior Member

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    What about a mix of competitive groundcovers, grasses and self-sowing good bug plants spread in seedballs Fukoaka style Floot?

    That'd take a lot of the work out of planting out the fenceline...keep slashing the higher stuff, adding more organic matter and outcompete the weeds.

    Are the weeds coming from a neighbouring property? If so, maybe outcompeting them is going to be the most effective strategy in the long run?

    I don't know bugger all about electric fences (except not to piss on one :D) so that may well be a good solution too...I really couldn't say.
     
  4. blinkblink

    blinkblink Junior Member

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    What about planting something like Osage Orange under it and once it grows enough remove the electric fence all together.
     
  5. bill

    bill Junior Member

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    Floot, I can't think of a truely "organic" or env sensitive solution. I can't imagine any planting under the fence achieving what you want. Obviously a thin light barrier is the best way to go (not organic mulch - too thick) but 2.5 kilometres of fence is an expensive prospect whatever you use. Elecricians use an thick orange plastic film where they can't dig down to the regulation depth. The film goes on top of the elect conduits to stop enthusiastic gardeners putting a spade through them. It is about 5mm thick and quite rigid (though it comes in rolls). Something like that would be ideal but, again, I think expensive at the length you have to deal with.

    My uncle has free range guinee pigs that keep weeds down on his 5 acres - they actually form small roaming herds (gangs?). His kikuyu grassed areas look like they are regularly mowed.... so the G pigs do a superb job (until they get in the veges). I am not sure how that helps though.
     
  6. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

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    Thanks guys,


    It is actually the boundary fence of my 29.something hectare place which because it is in the town boundary must be fenced. One is station country and virgin[ish].

    I was sorta hoping for a quick-fix. I have been offered aircraft engine oil as a weedicide [which I think it is now illegal to spray oil on the ground] but I into more natural.

    I want to remove the old station fences [3 huge barbs] and replace it with K-wire and barbed wire to make it pig and goat proof. My problem is that grass likes the natural trellis and grows thru it, fires are annual here and once the fence is burnt it affects the integrity.

    The best bet is to spray it carefully with molasses and put hungry stock in, if that doesnt work I will be hanging off the whipper snipper on an annual basis... eek. I will write to the station owner [PBL - Packers company] and get permission to put a small gate in so I can slash it outside.. Stock rarely frequent that fence because it is in behind a very rocky ridge.

    Weird rules.. I have to have a 6m firebreak [town laws] and he doesnt have to put one in because it is a station.

    thanks..
    floot
     
  7. Jez

    Jez Junior Member

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    Hehe...you didn't mention it needed to become a firebreak Floot...I thought you just wanted to get rid of weeds. :lol:

    What about pine oil or another organic herbicide?

    At least you'd have to manage it less often...might be worth a try to guage cost vs benefit...this must be a pretty common problem you'd think? Must affect a lot of organic producers?

    I'll have a hunt around for you over the next couple of days. :)
     
  8. spritegal

    spritegal Junior Member

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    Perhaps going back to first principles - Grass won't grow if there is no moisture to grow with?

    I have just constructed a sandy bund along a fenceline and nothing seems to want to grow in it - its too dry. Also have constructed a trench along another fenceline (for rubber conveyor belting to stop the bunnies) and have left it sitting there now for about 8 months and after 200 mm of rain. Still not a lot of grass cover on either side of the trench and absolutely none has reached across over it.
     
  9. bill

    bill Junior Member

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    Isn't Gove pretty wet for half the year? If its anythink like Kimberlies West Aust then there is no way to keep things dry enough to stop growth. Dry half year only.... and everything grows like mad.

    What about lime? Make the soil alkanline so the nutrient flow is impeded during the growing season.
     
  10. greeny

    greeny Junior Member

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    I am shocked that anyone, especially on this forum, would pour sump oil on to the ground. :? wake up.
     
  11. janahn

    janahn Junior Member

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    shocked

    to be honest i am shocked that people still use toilet paper. however back to the topic, you may be able to use a stiff extension wire that holds a single electric wire away from the old fence. this saves taking the old fence out. rural produce stores sell them. it should then keep your goats and pigs at bay. the device is curled at one end to run the wire with a double curled hook at the other to attatch to the existing wire. think of the oil you will save. the hot wire stay about 20 cm away then from the old wire at whatever height is chosen.

    regards leo mahon permaculture design institute
     

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