We have recently acquired a 3 acre lot in the plains of Haslet Texas, just north of Fort Worth. With the land, came weeds, rocks, and wind. I am eager to get my fingers in the dirt and begin planting a 12X20 flower/shrub bed that is nothing but weeds and faces the west sun. I am also planting a vegetable garden that will get east and north exposure.

I am new to gardening and want to choose organic, but I have many questions.

1. How can I kill and keep away the weeds?

2. Can you put weeds in a compost pile? Where might I find good information concerning compost?

3. How do I prepare the soil which is mostly clay, and what might best grow here?

4. What tomatoes are best for this part of Texas?

5. Where might I find good infomation about native plants and watering tips?

Compost, compost, compost
At this time buy it and use plenty. Making it will come with time.
Green Mamas is not to far from you - North Richland Hills - call ask for advice and they have classes.
Robert D Bard

The compost forum has a lot of great information on composting. Here is a link to an online book that will give you more information than you may want, but it is a great resource.

http://www.sourcecentral.com/library/168-1.html

Yes, you can put weeds in your compost pile.

Howard's new book is a great resource for native and adapted plants for this area.

Hope this helps.

I live in Keller and had almost the same situation.

1. Killing the weeds - vinegar will kill the weeds. Use 20% strength stuff and spray directly where you want to kill. I also have a Weed Popper that pulls them out of the ground. Takes longer, but they don't come back.

2. Prepping the soil - When I first did my beds, I tilled in around 10 bags of compost, 3 bags of lava sand, 1 bag of green sand. After the inititial tilling, I haven't turned the soil again.

3. Plan native and adapted plants. My favorites are Greg Salvia, Verbina, Lavender, Rosmary, Yarro, Sage. I also have some Mums, Day Lillies, and my indicator plant in my full sun bed are violets.

4. Once you have planted, dress the soil on top with dry molasses and cornmeal (regular, not gluten) and water well. Then put 3 inches of shredded cedar mulch on top and water it down.

5. Maintenance - everybody has their preference - I put molasses on the yard twice a year, an organic fertalizer in the spring, and foliar feed with liquid molasses, Garret Juice and Maxicrop through a hose-end sprayer monthly from May through September.

6. Almost anything can be composted. The compost board is a great place to start. I compost all of my weeds and yard waste.

7. Go to Green Mama's. They are on Davis about a quarter mile north of 820. They are the best place in the area to get all the information you need and will answer lots of questions. Go on a weekday when they are not as busy and they will have more time for questions. They have really helped me out with plant selection and preparation.

Sorry for all the questions, but are you talking about white vinegar from the grocery store? Sounds too simple, I guess.

Pickling Vinegar at either 10% or 20% strength. You can get the 10% at the grocery store. I got the 20% stuff at Green Mama's.

Be careful when you go to the grocery store most of the Vinegar there is 5%. Also, 20% is very strong use gloves and do not get it in your eyes. In reality 10% works just as well as 20% and is cheaper it just takes a little longer to toast those annoying weeds.

FYI: Whether using 10% or 20% they both work best on a warm sunny day.

Good point on the gloves and reading the label. I also wear breathing protection with the 20%.

I didn't know that the 10% would work as well.