All the ways to DESTROY Quack Grass/Weeds

Talking about how I took a break from gardening because of my accident and now I have loads of Quack grass (otherwise known as couchgrass, dog grass, quickgrass, quitch, scotch, twitch and witchgrass)... Awful stuff to deal with in the garden. How am I going to get rid of it?!
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[@rheafuhrman5291]

Been watching your content since the dreadlock days. I’ve loved watching your content grow and change with you. You’ve also been authentically yourself 💕

[@brittasvendsen5330]

When I was young many years ago, we had some pigs on an overgrown area, and it worked! No grass in 2 years! Remember you need a really good working, safe, double fence. Both a fence like a really strong chicken fence, and then you need an electric fence, hooked up to both solar and the electric in your house. Pigs are wonderful and very clever animals, and they know, when the electricity doesn’t work 😱 my family still remembers the day, all of us ran in the neighborhood and tried to catch them 🤣🤣🤣 you will love them ❤️ love from Britta in Denmark

[@lenorexoxo9447]

if you have a pig you'll never see grass again

[@CarolynnMarkey]

I have a chronic illness and a new baby and my garden is suffering but I hope its only a season :) wishing you hope! I try to keep my heart full of it.

[@racheldebasitis8184]

Quackgrass is horrendous, frustrating stuff! I like your potential pig approach. :) I have a question about your new channel - would you be willing at some appropriate point to take us foraging with you via video on occasion? You're so knowledgeable about it, and I'd love to see more. Of course if you're focusing only on your gardening, I understand. Thanks for considering it!

[@FairlyRooted]

Absolutely, will definitely be showing foraging this summer!

[@UrbanWhiteBuffaloFarm]

Hello Amber, So happy to see you today! You should really look at the idea of pigs that will root up all the grass and weeds. Then level the area run the chicken tractor after them. Be sure to plant a cover crop if the area will be left alone for any period of time. No it does not matter what the other 6 billion or so opinions say. Make your best decision and move forward. If it does not work make a new decision for the next year. Doing anything is better than doing nothing and doing is learning. God bless y'all so much, Steven

[@TheADHDHomestead]

I have crab grass everywhere too! Im in the city, and i dont spray anything either, trying to get the crab grass out of my raised beds (its just growing up through the layers of compost) is impossible. 😅 solidarity!

[@AbbyAndAlbit]

You look so happy talking garden lol ❤

[@FairlyRooted]

Haha I’m definitely passionate about it 😆

[@AbbyAndAlbit]

@@FairlyRooted that’s a good thing. I have watched you from the beginning and I’m just glad you are ok and back in your beloved garden ❤️❤️

[@Toffnm]

Whatever you do or don't do, I 100% support it.

[@madzabinga8382]

I can't believe how big your "puppy" is! He's a good looking dog.

[@FairlyRooted]

And still growing, he’ll be a year old in August!

[@devonh2290]

Have you heard of the channel Mossy Bottom? He had great success with pigs helping with the weeds on his farm in Ireland.

[@ronkeanimashaun156]

You just keep doing you. As long as you’re happy and you’re not hurting anybody it’s ok

[@ronkeanimashaun156]

Glad to hear you’re getting better ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@lisas2359]

Watching you in your gardens makes me want to go out and garden too (thought I just came in from gardening, lol)!!!

[@tinamourra8324]

So great see your return! Im glad you are recovering well❤

[@17Lottie]

Have you considered doing WOOF? It might lighten the load on your shoulders to have like minded helpers!

[@Madisondmclean]

I have both bremuda and crab grass, and I've found that either removing the sod or lazy bed method/ double digging is the best method so far.

[@Kristina-oo4en]

I was surprised to hear that people would spray round-up in the greenhouses! 😅Round-up is banned in my country, we do have some milder alternatives, but they are usually used for pavements or around the fences (where its really hard to cut grass) but never around the garden beds/greenhouses or anything food related. I enjoy the turn your content has taken! I have a small garden myself and I really like to watch what you are doing and adapt some of the things in my garden. I learned how to make raised beds few years ago when you first did them in your small back yard and I love it! I cannot wait to see the progress in your new property!

[@FairlyRooted]

Oh yes… my neighbours all spray round up. I don’t, but they do.

[@VeggySezzy-yi2xj]

Love your work and your content and your channels Amber! OG viewer here xx

[@FairlyRooted]

Thank you so much!! ❤️🙏

[@estellekc8295]

I feel your pain. I’m in the process of cleaning out a rather neglected 125sqft bed that was laid with two layers of weed fabric and then covered in a million small rocks. That weed fabric just makes pulling the quack grass out even harder. Plus it’s full of creeping bellflower, which is impossible to get rid of. It would be easier to just move. Lol

[@mommyheart9628]

I don't even have a garden, but if I ever do I'm going to use your methods. Im so happy you're feeling better!

[@a.b.9482]

What great work you are doing! 😍 Love the content you make!

[@kvstar100]

wow I didn't know that grass could be such an issue! I love learning about this kinda stuff

[@bethisntgraceful]

SO GOOD to see you back ❤😊🎉

[@nikkimason8726]

I feel your pain! I have so much grass in my garden. The past few years my husband has tilled it but grass eventually pops up. It’s very tiring! This year, I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I put down landscaping fabric. It was driving me nuts! I hope the pigs work out for you. Please keep us posted ❤️ So so happy you are feeling better ❤

[@colbywilliams7595]

The easy way is not necessarily the better way. Keep at it and remember permaculture principle #9 - use slow, small solutions. It's become my mantra this season.

[@FairlyRooted]

Agreed, man made easy ways I feel are rarely the right way… and honestly it comes down to how you define “easy”… easy in a man-made way or easy in a nature oriented way? Nature ways may take longer, but are easy for nature.

[@hummingbirdforestgarden]

oh gosh - I've been dealing with quackgrass all spring / today... :) it' goes on forever underground and ughhhhh - this year I'm trying to make a dent by weeding it daily...it's horrible BUT I'm listening to A LOT of audiobooks...Good luck to you with it this summer!!! Sorry it got out of control since your head injury.

[@josdantas9739]

I have had good results with thick cardboard and the mistake I made is putting wood chips or compost the weeds grew on top of the cardboard but straight cardboard worked pretty good. I hate that grass so much!

[@TheSleepyhead4000]

I'm so happy you're back on yt❤

[@andrianakoleva4159]

Just saw another KZbinr use pigs to clear out a portion of her land. And it was absolutely fascinating to watch, she filmed day to day progress for the video and they did exactly what she wanted to be done. Best of luck!

[@KaylaReisser]

Maybe try this solution. To 1 gallon of vinegar, add 1 cup of table salt and 1 Tbs of plain dish soap. Spray on the leaves of the plant you want to kill, not the plants you want to keep. And try not to get too much on the ground. Too much of the solution can make the soil inhospitable. My grandmother used to use vinegar.

[@nicoleshubert5757]

Quack grass is my #1 enemy here in northern Michigan! We maintain a deeply mulched garden (Ruth Stout style) with a tilled parameter to prevent grass from creeping in. I love the pig idea! I hope to fence in my garden parameter and use livestock also. With the deep hay mulch I’ve had slugs like crazy this year, so I hope to get ducks on board. Best of luck and continued healing energy sent! -Shubert Family Homestead

[@patriciariddle2997]

You have always said, despite everyone's opinion, you have to do what's right for you. I admire that.

[@FairlyRooted]

Absolutely!

[@jenphethean9165]

I feel your pain. I battle with grass in my garden beds too. Its the worst. To make matters worse, we had a house fire in September 2023 and were displaced from our home for 6 months. When i returned home my garden was an absolute disaster. So. Much. Grass. I have been slowly getting the beds cleaned up. Wishing you all the best this growing season! ❤

[@FairlyRooted]

Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that! I hope things are going a bit better for you now!

[@maman-cane]

Always fun to see you try different options. Don't give up Amber! And try to be gentle woth yourself "one thing at the time".

[@cassil.g.455]

I hate the creeping grass too. I call it chocking grass because it just comes up and takes over anything I have planted. Even old established rhododendrons it is trying to smother. Ugh;(

[@Blakkmolly]

About your quack grass, I live in Sweden and have them too. They are really everywhere. But I got rid of them in my growing beds! I also got a lot of rocks in the ground so I have to build the soil above ground level. I take bales of old silage and make beds directly on the grass, it has to be at least 50cm of packed silage. And it works best to do it late fall, then rain and snow packs it together and the worms and organisms will break down all the grass for next spring! You can do it in the spring and summer but the weeds are more likely to break through the silage. It really works :)

[@barelybarb]

I talked to an arborist a week ago and they said within the week they'll drop off a load! Patiently waiting and not being very patient 😆

[@barelybarb]

I'm just so rural, I ran across the street from my work to ask them for a drop off and I was so excited they said yes! I am still so hopeful 🙏🏽💛🪵

[@ginatraih1293]

I fight the same battle with that grass.

[@beccaa7435]

I've been waiting for my ChipDrop for 3-4 months now, but I can't complain because I know how thankful I'll be when I get it! I hope your drop is right around the corner 😊

[@ariverdreaming]

If you tip even $20 they drop it off faster in my experience coordinating drops for other people and myself

[@danamama6766]

I hate that grass too. I for some reason have always called it cow grass not sure why but that's what I still call the buggers horrid thing. The roots go for three miles it feels when I try to pull them. The grass I fight with does. And thick grass. I think trying pigs is a great idea as yes the chickens do mow it down but don't get the roots. So we need to try whatever we can. I also avoid any toxins if possible but if needed by some that is ok too. A bit of wild in the garden makes it magical too as you have loved. Other than the quack/cow grass....swear word stuff. 💕hugs so happy you are here.

[@KBlue728]

i use cardboard - got that from you and i hand weed as i pulled up all my landscaping fabric, yes that was an absolute pain!! Do you mind sharing a clip of you weeding when you get a chance. this is what my mom use to do so I've really only seen someone do it as a kid. I mean i literally just dig down and try and get the roots of the weeds right? Thanks for sharing Amber 💙

[@jenwylie4093]

Good luck! I hope the pigs work for you! I think all gardeners have to deal with annoying weeds that are hard to remove.

[@sassbee2002]

I feel your pain. I have marestail invading my garden. Cannot get rid of it. X

[@juststeph6940]

Good luck. I really hope it works. Last year I almost gave up gardening because of quack grass.

[@anjap-b3567]

When I'm fed up with weeds - I spray them with white vinegar on sunny day. It will burn it out

[@FairlyRooted]

Wish it would work on these, but it doesn’t 😭

[@sindyrodriguez7426]

Do you dilute with water or just straight white vinegar?

[@sherilburdine2331]

It’s the worst! This has happened in my asparagus bed 😩

[@nicolepapole]

I had a similar problem. I had not been able to be on top of things last year and now my garden is OVERRUN and I'm OVERWHELMED. I won't spray but I don't know I have the dedication to do anything else. I'm trying with a couple beds. But it's discouraging to say the least.

[@DennisD-yv4ys]

I make compost tea too but this year I'm adding swamp muck🌱🌱💚

[@BarbaraBoholm]

🌱🌿🦋🍊🍋🍉🥑🫖🍵🕯📓🖋Sending you warm hugs from Sweden 🪶🐿🦔🫂

[@emeliasoderlund]

Enthusiastic weeder! 😂⭐️

[@ariverdreaming]

Noooo I hate quack grass so much. Spent all last spring removing quack grass in a lawn to garden transformation in my rental’s backyard. I had to pull each clump of grass up by the roots (careful not to break roots as much as possible) cutting them into .5 foot squares with a half moon edger, beat the soil out of the roots with a spade and then put the grass and root clumps on tarps and cover with another tarp and left it for a year. 😤 I immediately put super thick layer of chips and hugulcultur beds where the grass was. even after 6 months on the tarp there was live quack roots under the tarp sandwich holding it but finally dead now and we will compost it. it sucked I was low key crying at times beating the soil from the grass it was 2 months of work to remove a whole quack grass lawn but it worked!! No quack grass a year later. And I was able to plant in those areas while I dealt with the pile of quack grass. I hate landscaping fabric too, leaches chemicals and microplastics into the soil. Best of luck!! 🫡

[@wolfeabroad758]

Supposedly once you pull up a Canadian thistle your supposed to spray where it was with just regular white vinegar. And that stops it from growing back so fast. Don't know if that's true or not, I'm going to try it this weekend in my yard, but something to consider. And hopefully wouldn't bother your other plants

[@petermanmom]

We fight that stuff too. And I totally get the time suck of weeding when you know there is actual FOOD to plant. Heavy cardboard and wood chips and leaves works for about one year for us. But then it breaks down and we have to start over.

[@FairlyRooted]

I’m already redoing cardboard and mulch and it’s only been 2 months?! Nuts.

[@jvgl2024]

Agree with annoying landscaping fabric, I have been volunteering at a community garden near us and they use mypex. Almost like a thick plastic and then burn or cut wholes in it. Works better than the fabric and you can use it for years.

[@deborahrwafil1344]

I dont know the name of the weed in elglish but when i translate it called zevenleafs , it was in my parents garden. I moved myself in 3 houses and thoses gardens didnt have it neighbours doesnt have it. And i think my parents shoes brings it with them but its als a row roots system so its weird but my hole life its following me and nothing works

[@mattytigg4052]

Oh pigs! Yay! When you were explaining about chickens my brain was saying pigs! Yay for pigs!

[@corriemcclain7960]

Pigs seems like a great idea, especially since you can get some piglets easily. Plus they are sweet.

[@krafttee1]

Weeds! A never ending battle. Good luck ✌️

[@CurlySuzySue]

I have an inconvenient idea .... But you would have to completely right off an entire growing season. Basically you need to stop light for the grass for the season to kill the roots. So a whole year of no light. You need sheets of thick cardboard. 3 layers thick. You can absolutely do it for free, just reach out to the community. Start now and collect as much as you can. Then lay it in September. Just concentrate on the areas where you want to grow intensively. But a full year should do it.

[@FairlyRooted]

That's exactly what I did in the video haha... It's ongoing, but I also use silage tarps to block light as well.

[@shynncat9647]

I don't like grass in the gardens, but I think your quack grass could replace the omes people use as they are so resistant 😱

[@FairlyRooted]

They are very very resilient haha 🤣

[@flowerchild760]

I have crab grass in my garden. We’ve actually spent thousands of dollars grading our entire yard and put down DG, new grass, etc. or came back and ruined everything. I hate it! It comes through my garden boxes, even garden fabric bags and troughs. Ugh. I feel so defeated by it.

[@amymauzy1691]

I wonder if you could use black walnut to get rid of the grass that you don’t want to then next year grow

[@FairlyRooted]

Black nut has a chemical that will also prevent the growth of other plants unfortunately

[@pixyfairy4721]

I killed the grass by covering the soil with the black plastic garbage bag in hot summer time, it will be gone in a month or two. When i take off the black plastic garbage bag, all the grass are gone , and no rhizomes. After the grass dissappear, you can put cardboard and mulch on top of it.

[@FairlyRooted]

Maybe the tarping will work then! Thank you!

[@doinacampean9132]

Maybe Canadian weeds are more resilient than Charles Dowding's :) Maybe re-mulch with some more cardboard so they get no light??

[@FairlyRooted]

Yep I’ve done that, we’ll see how it does

[@easymodenerd]

I'm highly allergic to grass so just looking at all those weeds was making my skin crawl 😅

[@FairlyRooted]

Oh no!!

[@whatheavensaid]

Maybe someone will let you borrow their goats, sheep, or pigs until you can set up a home for your own animals? Goats seem to work the fastest. All wonderful animal friends. 💖

[@FairlyRooted]

I have a home for them, it’s the fencing to keep them in the area I need! One day!

[@shynncat9647]

I had to spray my tomatos because last year I didn’t do it and the greenhouse whitefly, trips and tuta absoluta destroyed EVERYTHING 💔 but I wish I didn’t have to spray

[@LMaeCook]

Quack grass boo 👎 the struggle is real.

[@FairlyRooted]

The stuff would survive anything, like a cockroach, I’m sure of it.

[@arlenegomes5520]

We put down landscaping fabric and the weeds came through it! There's no stopping it or I don't know how to stop it.

[@FairlyRooted]

If I find a solution I’ll let you know!

[@zabmcauley5647]

Could black walnut mulch kill quack grass? If so it could be a long term solution for future garden beds.

[@FairlyRooted]

Black walnut mulch would kill the grass most likely, but it would also kill any plants in the garden beds as well.

[@glassiegirl]

Have the kids help pull the grass out

[@shynncat9647]

The green house will look amazing with all the plants 😍😍

[@FairlyRooted]

I think so!! 🤗

[@christinap.2258]

I not only have grass .....but Fire Ants! I feel your pain...been trying everything to get rid of both naturally. But ...boy howdy some gas and a match is sounding pretty good for thoes fire ants right about now!😂😮

[@TheShamanWitch72]

Question are there any kind of cover crops we can plant for late fall and through the winter that would crowd out the weeds? Been thinking of that for a few of my beds but not sure what to try first?????

[@FairlyRooted]

I plant buck wheat for that! It works pretty well and adds nutrients to the soil. Dies when it gets cold.

[@Roehrtribe]

flame weeder?

[@Roehrtribe]

also our local recycling center has wood chips and compost. Do they do that in Canada?

[@FairlyRooted]

Ours doesn’t have any, unfortunately, though some municipalities do!

[@FairlyRooted]

Yes! I’m considering one for the spring, though it won’t help after anything comes up that I want to keep haha

[@paulacopier9455]

I cannot give my dog a tablet against tics but i had to because she had them all the time and they walked on me too. Do you have tics in all that high grass?

[@FairlyRooted]

Lots of ticks here, we have to check all the time.

[@laylamontes9957]

How do you deal with aphids in fruit trees? I don't want to use chemicals but don't know what else to do.

[@jeanetteoliver7945]

❤

[@kimbaker3232]

How did you suffer such a bad concussion? Can you tell us? Or is it too traumatic for you? ❤❤

[@FairlyRooted]

I’ll probably have to make a video about, I’ve been asked many times!

[@kimbaker3232]

I hope you are feeling much better and are on the mend 😊 Been following your Chanel since the early days! Living in Ireland 🇮🇪 Lived in Whitby Ontario for ten years 🇨🇦 xxx

[@lauriesickles5393]

Can you flame weed the greenhouses?

[@FairlyRooted]

Not while plants are in it, unfortunately… and it wouldn’t get the roots 😣

[@lorimcmichael5846]

What happens if you burn it? Does it just come back? I know you don’t spray, but what about vinegar and sun?

[@FairlyRooted]

Burning it won’t kill the roots, so it just comes back… vinegar doesn’t work 😣

[@lorimcmichael5846]

Bummer

[@elerawiel]

❤️💐

[@selinaboyd1806]

Goats

[@FairlyRooted]

Wasn’t sure if they would eat the roots?

[@selinaboyd1806]

@@FairlyRooted they should find a goat farmer if you can talk to them about it some people even rent out there goats for things like this so you don't have to buy them .

[@shynncat9647]

YEEEESSS 🐖😱♥️♥️

[@Sparsam.Achtsam.Echt.]

💛🧡🩷💜🩵💚 ...

[@paigevingarette5158]

Will you be willing to try goats?

[@FairlyRooted]

Yep, I like goats, just don’t think they will eat the roots 😣

[@Pennep-xg8cz]

How about getting a goat?🐐🐐🐐

[@FairlyRooted]

Thought about it, we still are putting up fencing, and they wouldn’t get the roots unfortunately 😭

[@GothicDragonfly]

Frustrating

[@shelleymitchell7912]

hey sista in that hat love and healing vibes always

[@Fire-born]

So happy to see you again, every day in my garden I think of you and how inspired I've felt for years because of your channel. I'm glad to know you're on a good path to recovery and I wish you the best in feeling well ❤‍🩹I don't know how you do it, but you always get it done, 90% of my garden was killed by a spontaneous frost mid-May and I had to replant everything and it's been exhausting but seeing your grass issue I suppose I've got it easy! 😅