has anyone used the product "Preen"

[Crane Stoves]

I like to hear from anyone who has really used this Garden weed-free product?

Its VERY expensive and it also scares me because i fear it could "block" growth somehow of your precious veggies?

Ive tried the rolls of black sheets of breathable weed block fabric (and i DONT like that option!).
I need to till each year, some things i start from seeds (like corn, beans, etc.) and frankly these rolls of sheets become a big mess and need to be thrown away each season (not to mention taking a header into the mud last year when my boots got tripped up from the crap).

I know their is no magic bullet here to deal with weeds but my gardens are large enough now that i really need some options that will work for me to at least diminish the horror chore of weeding to some degree?

thank you!

 

[lukem]

Preen is a pre-emergent. It works by damaging the fine root hairs of newly germinated seeds so they don't turn into big plants. It will not have any effect on a healthy full germinated plant (after a certain age, read instructions for specifics).

If you use preen in the garden, you can forget about starting stuff from seed in the garden...you will need to start in trays and transplant.

 

[ironpony]

have used it for years with great succes and no noticable side effects

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Screw the black plastic. Mulch the hell out of the garden with shredded leaves. You will have to weed very little, water a lot less, and it composts in place to give you incredible soil.

Why do you have to rototill? I have not rototilled yet in 10 years with this garden- pull back the mulch and shove the plant in the ground- without any need for even a hand spade.

 

[Crane Stoves]

Screw the black plastic. Mulch the hell out of the garden with shredded leaves. You will have to weed very little, water a lot less, and it composts in place to give you incredible soil.

Why do you have to rototill? I have not rototilled yet in 10 years with this garden- pull back the mulch and shove the plant in the ground- without any need for even a hand spade.

now thats a great idea... why not mulch the crap out of everything with bark mulch (like we do to flower beds)? any drawbacks or concerns doing this in a veggie garden?

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Bark mulch 1) costs money, 2) doesn't break down like leaves do, 3) invariably gets mixed in the top layers of soil- which may or may not cause slight issues. Plus- most people have leaves they need to get rid of- may as well put them to good use.

 

[lukem]

Mulch is a great idea for a garden. Grass clippings, leaves, and pine straw are generally available at low/no cost and do a pretty good job. Just be careful you don't throw your soil PH out of whack as some leaves and pine straw can be very acidic.

Bark mulch would work just fine, but not be ideal for the reasons mentioned above.

 

[billb3]

There's organic Preen for vegetable gardens. It's just corn gluten.
The problem I have with Preen is getting it down early enough and then not disturbing it afterwards.

The only non-pesticide solution I've found for crabgrass is several inches of chewed up leaves from last Fall. Thick enough to keep the soil temp down low enough so the seed doesn't sprout.

I tried some of that white growers fabric to protect seeds from cold nights/frost and the crabgrass loved it. Crabgrass sprouting in March. Lucky me ! Good indicator that it works though, I guess.


Mulch may or may not have pesticides for termite and bug control ( bags are supposed to be labelled) and even borax can affect some green things. A tablespoon on an ant nest will kill about a 6 inch spot of grass. (whatever kind is my front lawn) :-(

 

[Crane Stoves]

ill try the preen in half the area and grass clipping on the other half and test it out....thanks for the idea's and opinions guys!

 

[firebroad]

I gave up on woodchip mulch. The bloody sqashbugs and such love to hide in it. I use peatmoss and leafmould.
Preen is okay for flower beds (so long as you don't sow seeds), and corn gluten is hidiously expensive. I'll stick to a hoe and pulling. P.S., I like to use an old butter knife to weed with, it loosens the stubborn roots of weeds when I need precise control.

 

[Crane Stoves]

I gave up on woodchip mulch. The bloody sqashbugs and such love to hide in it. I use peatmoss and leafmould.
Preen is okay for flower beds (so long as you don't sow seeds), and corn gluten is hidiously expensive. I'll stick to a hoe and pulling. P.S., I like to use an old butter knife to weed with, it loosens the stubborn roots of weeds when I need precise control.

you spread bags of peat moss around the garden (to a depth of what?) and does this prevent weeds from forming for the most part???

 

[Jack Straw]

What chemical do they use to dye black mulch? That stuff worries me in my veggie garden.

 

[Dtunes]

Bark mulch 1) costs money, 2) doesn't break down like leaves do, 3) invariably gets mixed in the top layers of soil- which may or may not cause slight issues. Plus- most people have leaves they need to get rid of- may as well put them to good use.

Also the microbes that decompose wood pull nurtients from the soil, mainly nitrogen. If you use bark mulch or anything with a high level of cellulose youll need extra fertilizer. I would recomend grass clippings leaf mold or even plastic drop cloths on on the pathways. I know people who use newspaper but id worry about chems.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

you spread bags of peat moss around the garden (to a depth of what?) and does this prevent weeds from forming for the most part???

Peat moss costs money (and has an environmental impact- if you worry about it like I do). Yard waste is free and just as good.

 

[Dtunes]

Peat moss costs money (and has an environmental impact- if you worry about it like I do). Yard waste is free and just as good.

+1 Also peat moss is acidic and will lower the ph of your soil. Plus unless you wet it really well I think it would blow away since its so light an fluffy.

 

[save$]

I like to add mulch, but never around warm wether plants like tomatoes until the ground is warm. Otherwise the ground may remaine cool way into the summer and heat lovers won't grow much. As said before, grass and leave clippings are best, but keep them a couple inches away from the plant stocks. You don't want to make it too easy on the chewing insects and you want to keep the mold of decomposition away from you tender plants. Wood is a poor choice for mulch unless you are just putting old boards down. I still opt for the porous ground covers held down with garden staples. Quick and I don't have to rake it. Here is another option for easy hoeing. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1QBGF28KP69MC6FBTKM4

 

[firebroad]

(Sigh). I knew I would be lambasted for using peat moss. Well, here's the deal: My father used if all his life with no adverse reactions. I used it most of my life also, with no adverse reactions. It is relatively cheap and plentiful, about $7 a 6 cu ft bale. It has never significantly lowered the Ph of my soil, which is generally Ph neutral. An addition of lime to the soil will correct this, as well.
Having heard all the horror stories, including the one about it not being environmentally sound, I switched to wood chip mulches and had nothing but troubles. Recently I went back to sphagnum peat without any adversity.
I do not spread it over my entire beds, just around certain vegetable crops about and inch or less thick. It helps keep the moisture from evaporating, the slight acidity keeps weeds and mildew at bay, and it does NOT blow away once it is dampened.
Bottom line, it works for me.

 

[billb3]

Where do you find 6 cubic foot bales ?
Biggest I find around here is 3 cubic feet and they are 10 bucks.
I get 12 cubic feet every year for ze 12 blueberries bushes.
I still have to add acidifier along with some fertilizer.

I used to add peat moss to our sandy loam but now I have excess of compost.


Buying wood chips in bags isn't exactly cheap either.
I wait for them to be on sale 4 for ten bucks. I've bought a truckload but that will last me 2 years and I've had bees in the pile.

 

[firebroad]

Where do you find 6 cubic foot bales ?
Biggest I find around here is 3 cubic feet and they are 10 bucks.
I get 12 cubic feet every year for ze 12 blueberries bushes.
I still have to add acidifier along with some fertilizer.

I used to add peat moss to our sandy loam but now I have excess of compost.


Buying wood chips in bags isn't exactly cheap either.
I wait for them to be on sale 4 for ten bucks. I've bought a truckload but that will last me 2 years and I've had bees in the pile.

WOW.
I used to get peat at a garden place called Meyers down here, but I have been known to find it at Wally World (walmart) and HomeDepot. You are right, you got to watch for the sales. I have been known to get woodchips (I do use them for the flower beds) at $3 - $5 a bag in the past, but I am sure that, as well as the peat and other amenities are much higher this year. I buy and store, as well.
Also--just a thought--When I had strawberries, I used shredded bark and/or pine needles, but only a light layer. I used newspaper as the main mulch, then covered it with the bark for looks. Worked quite well. Probably get a lot of objections to pine needles (they SELL it out west as pinestraw), but haven't had any adverse Ph problems with using that, either. Like I said, if you soil is acidic, add lime to neutralize.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

(Sigh). I knew I would be lambasted for using peat moss. Well, here's the deal: My father used if all his life with no adverse reactions. I used it most of my life also, with no adverse reactions. It is relatively cheap and plentiful, about $7 a 6 cu ft bale. It has never significantly lowered the Ph of my soil, which is generally Ph neutral. An addition of lime to the soil will correct this, as well.
Having heard all the horror stories, including the one about it not being environmentally sound, I switched to wood chip mulches and had nothing but troubles. Recently I went back to sphagnum peat without any adversity.
I do not spread it over my entire beds, just around certain vegetable crops about and inch or less thick. It helps keep the moisture from evaporating, the slight acidity keeps weeds and mildew at bay, and it does NOT blow away once it is dampened.
Bottom line, it works for me.

Nobody lambasted anybody. Folks ask opinions, and we give them.

I like low maintenance, cheap as possible, and enviro friendly- yard waste fits that bill. If someone else has different criteria or a system they don't care to mess with- that's fine

 

[firebroad]

Nobody lambasted anybody. Folks ask opinions, and we give them.

I like low maintenance, cheap as possible, and enviro friendly- yard waste fits that bill. If someone else has different criteria or a system they don't care to mess with- that's fine

Sorry AP, perhaps "lambasted" was a bit strong of a word! A bit of a knee-jerk(emphesis on jerk) reaction...

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Oh- and anyone that uses peat moss is the debbil.

 

[firebroad]

That's MRS. Debbil

!!

 

[muncybob]

Corn gluten was mentioned as being expensive...true, if you buy the commercially bagged stuff. Check with a local feed mill as that's where I get 30lb bags at about $15/bag. Great side benefit is as it decomposes it supplies a good amount of nitrogen. Give it a try if you want to green up your lawn. For weed control though, timing is everything.
I'm a big proponent of mulching. Other than to get the garden started, we rarely water the plants as long as it rains a bit every 10 days or so.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Corn gluten was mentioned as being expensive...true, if you buy the commercially bagged stuff. Check with a local feed mill as that's where I get 30lb bags at about $15/bag. Great side benefit is as it decomposes it supplies a good amount of nitrogen. Give it a try if you want to green up your lawn. For weed control though, timing is everything.
I'm a big proponent of mulching. Other than to get the garden started, we rarely water the plants as long as it rains a bit every 10 days or so.

Agree with every bit of this. CGM is a fertilizer as well as a pre-emergent