For those looking for a down side; there are certain factors that could be viewed as disturbing. In the ornamental horticulture industry, large corporations have come to dominate a once mom and pop industry. Starting a small plant business is not easy, as most plants are now sold at big box retailers and grocery stores. So the neighborhood plant store is a thing of the past; not exactly the end of the world, just a little more homogenized.

The corporate take over of agriculture is as complete as that of ornamental horticulture. Our nursery is part of a working farm, so we deal with farm issues also. Discussion of America’s farms and food is a topic unto itself. To tell you the truth I do not know where to begin a story of corporate take over of just about everything America eats. Every one likes to eat so it should be of interest to everyone. But it is also true that no one seems to care to hear about farm issues. For sure, one day we will care. For the best information about sustainable farming contact: AcresUSA.com [http://www.acresusa.com], the voice for eco-agriculture.

In 1985, Briscoe White opened The Growers Exchange in an abandoned Texaco station on a busy urban street corner in Richmond, Virginia. The facility has grown over the years, and is now 5 distinct growing environments with 5 acres under cover. Briscoe has over 25 years of gardening experience. For further information on gardening products or gardening tips please contact Briscoe White at bwhite@thegrowersexchange.com.

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The single characteristic that makes this plant very hard to control is because of its underground stem system, or rootstock, which has the ability to produce new plants. A small part of the rootstock, one weighing 0.7 grams and as big as the nail of your little finger, is a viable plant and very much capable of growing into a four foot plant by the end of the summer.

If you think you can easily get rid of them using the usual weeding implement that you use well then think again. The root of this pesky plant can grow three meters in the ground. Yes, that’s almost ten feet deep into the soil. Not only that, they can grow to up to seven meters horizontally. And no, the frost won’t be able to kill them. The rootstock can survive subzero temperatures as well as tolerate a wide range of soil and weather conditions.

There are basically two ways that you can approach Japanese knotweed removal: the use of herbicides and the less aggressive way of controlling it which is through a systematic method of killing the weed through natural means. If you want to get the best result you must use a technique which targets the roots since these are the most viable part of the plant.

The most effective herbicide to use for the complete riddance of Japanese knotweed is glyphosate. This is a broad spectrum herbicide which is used to kill perennial weeds. It is usually sprayed to the plant and the leaves readily absorb it. It can also be injected into the trunk of the plant. It works by inhibiting the enzyme production of the plant. Take note that it is only effective in plants growing actively and its effects are insubstantial as a pre-emergence weed control.

But before you decide on using glyphosate, or any other chemical for that matter, you have to be aware of the risks and other considerations. First concern is if your garden, especially the patch of Japanese knotweed, is located near a body of water. In the UK, consent is required from the Environment Agency if you will be using herbicides near waterways. Also, health and safety issues must be considered. Herbicides must be used as per label instructions if not it is deemed as an offense.

If you choose the natural way of eliminating the invasive Japanese knotweed for good, be ready for a long and arduous process. This is the way to go if you are dealing with just a small patch such as the one you found in your garden since it doesn’t involve chemicals. Just remember to dispose of the plant accordingly. Regular pulling will eventually weaken the rootstock and kill the plant, but this can take years. Cutting can also be done. Just be sure to collect all the cuttings after, dry them out and burn them, or you can have them disposed in a licensed landfill.

Jo is a content writer for Japanese Knotweed Solutions, (http://www.jksl.com), specialists in Japanese Knotweed elimination. If you are a devoted gardener, a home builder or a nature lover, sooner or later you will come across this pervasive nuisance. Japanese Knotweed is one of the most destructive weeds, producing enormous amounts of damage every year to homes, public building, and the countryside.

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Raised bed gardening will provide you with the unique opportunity to have a garden that will be the envy of the neighborhood. You will produce more, have higher quality vegetables and spend less time maintaining them. All of the work is done the first time your raised beds are created and you will enjoy the fruits of your labor for years to come.

1. Reasons for using Raised Beds – Creating a raised bed gardening system is a fantastic way to control the soil you use, control weeds and produce the most garden vegetables and flowers in the smallest space possible. Raised bed gardening allows you to easily control the environment in which your garden plants grow – temperature and moisture.
Raised bed gardens allow you to start your garden sooner and extend the growing season by green housing the raised bed. Raised bed gardening additionally makes it very easy to fertilize and control any types of garden pests that might otherwise damage your garden plants.

2. Materials for Raised Bed Gardening – A limited number of materials are required to create a raised bed for gardening – To build one 4′x8′ Raised Bed:

3. Building the Raised Bed – Take one of the 3 pieces of wood and cut it in half – creating two 4ft end pieces. Now just create a rectangular box by nailing or screwing the four pieces of wood together. When you are finished you will have a 4′x8′ box that stands 12″ high. Find a good location, consider amount of sun and mark off a spot that is 4×8 feet for your raised bed. Either by hand or with a rototiller prepare the area, digging at least a foot deep. If the soil is poor you may want to add things to improve the drainage before placing the raised bed over the area.

4. Create great soil for your Raised Bed – Having great soil filling the raised bed is the key to having a fantastic garden. Use a combination of regular garden soil from your yard, compost, perlite, manure, etc. so that the soil in your raised bed box is rich for growing garden vegetables and/or flowers. You can purchase garden soil additives at the lumber yard, department store or local greenhouse.

5. Finishing Touches – Fill your bed with your soil mixture. Once the garden soil is in, place small nails every 12″ around the top and run your string to create one foot squares. These act as dividers and planting guides for your raised beds, also referred to as square foot gardening. Now you are ready for planting. If you are planting a little earlier than usual, you may want to greenhouse your raised beds if the weather is a bit cold. Merely place stakes around the bed at the edges, cover with plastic and hold it in place with clothes pins.

Another nice touch is to place a dripper hose that runs up and down the rows of your raised beds for an instant irrigation system.

I have been using raised bed gardens for years and would never go back to traditional ways. Once established, raised beds require minimal time year after year. One can vary the size of their raised bed(s) to create a very well organized and designed layout. Give raised bed gardening a try – you will love it!

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