My Alternative to Roundup

little Weedinators

I could have entitled this post, "This Simple Weed Control Method Will Blow Your Mind" Or, "The Best Organic Solution to Weeds You'll Ever See". (Because, you know, all content deserves to go viral).

But that would be untrue and misleading. It probably won't blow your mind, and it's not the best solution, either.

The fact is, however, that it is a solution that, combined with other strategies (like mulching!), is currently working well for me.

garden path behind the rabbit tractor

Keeping weeds out of my beds is accomplished by using mulch. Keeping them out of my paths is another challenge. But last year I was gifted two lovely rabbits by my friend, Patrick, who were very quickly christened "Snowflake" and "Cupcake" at the urging of my ten year old daughter.

Snowflake and Cupcake, it should be pointed out, are "not for eating". However, they do play an important role in our permaculture system as well as providing valuable fertilizer. They power my rabbit tractor, a triangular cage just wide enough to fit between the garden beds. Each day, the tractor is dragged a little way down the path so the rabbits can nibble down the growth and keep it manageable.

It's not a perfect solution. They don't eat all the weeds and there are places where it is hard to get around the cage to access their food and water. But it's adequate. And they provide other services, like eating piles of grass and other unwanted weeds and veggie scraps from the adjoining garden, or by being the soft, cuddly pets that don't complain and greet you happily each day.

The pre-tractored path. Pay no attention to the weed ridden bed of spent greens on the left

As with anything we seek to accomplish, there are no fantastical solutions. There's another sort of "magic" to be found, however, within ordinary processes; the tested, tried and true. Our ability to observe the habits and interactions of plants and animals in nature allows us to creatively put them to use in ways that benefit the whole system, as well as provide us with a yield. 

This power to observe, learn and create is one of our greatest assets as humans. We can reflect and make adjustments to maximize symbiotic relationships in our landscapes and lives. It is an ongoing process. A process that, it may be noted, begins with wonder....