The community garden got me to stop using chemical weed spray for good

I used to be the person who would grab a bottle of Roundup for any weed that popped up in my yard. But last month at the Bothell Community Garden volunteer day, one of the old timers named Jerry saw me about to spray some dandelions near the raised beds. He walked over and just said 'you know that stuff kills the soil bacteria too right?' and then showed me this patch he had been hand pulling weeds from for 5 years compared to a spot that got sprayed. The difference in the dirt color and how many earthworms there were was crazy. So I spent a Saturday afternoon with a dandelion weeder tool and a bucket, and honestly it was kinda satisfying pulling the roots out whole. Now I only use a vinegar and salt mix for the really stubborn cracks in the driveway. Has anyone else made the switch away from chemical stuff around here?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_charlie14d ago

Hold up, how long did it take for you to really see the soil bounce back in that spot Jerry showed you? I'm trying to picture what five years of hand pulling actually looks like versus the sprayed area, like was it just more worms or did the dirt actually feel different when you dug into it? Cause I've got this one patch of clover by my back fence that I've been nuking for years and I'm wondering if stopping cold turkey is even worth the effort at this point, or if the damage is basically done.

the_fiona14d ago

Wait, are you serious about having nuked clover for years? @the_charlie I've got a patch of crabgrass I've been poisoning forever and I'm starting to wonder the same thing.