So wonderful to see Burley's smiling face! Also wonderful to see you have Clay's companionship in the garden! Thank you for the break from "world issues" to remember life as it should be!

Love how comfortable Clay is becoming in front of the camera

How distressing to have that evil quack grass! Love it when the animals run thru your videos. A new mouser! I've gone back and watched when you were alone in the Tiny House creating good food. You've inspired me to make some of your recipes.

I've battled that grass here for 28 years. We call it rope twitch. Just about broken my back trying to dig out thick mats of those wiry roots that spear through layers of every membrane, mulch fabric, old carpets, plastic sheets, timber, etc that the previous owners had laid down. 3 feet can be traversed by those roots in a matter of hours. I have had large areas mulched with black plastic and sheets of roofing iron, for several years. When I lifted them, there was a wall to wall dense mat of the despised white ropy roots living beneath, feeding the grass growing all around the munched area.. There is only ONE way to deal with it effectively. I have lost season after season after season of vegetables that I need to feed myself, by trying to be a no-dig organic purist. This menace has cost me MANY HUNDREDS of dollars in destroyed plants, and years of garden labour wasted on trying to eradicate it physically. Spraying with a 1.5X strength solution of 360 grams per litre Glyphosate (that is, mixed at 15 mls per litre of water) will kill it, by being absorbed into its roots, no matter how far they roam. But one application is not sufficient. Those wiry roots will not break down in the soil for well over a year, even when dead. This layer of dead roots can be 6 inches thick below the surface. Nothing can grow here. Impossible to fork out until you have chopped the whole area into spade-sized cubes. I can pull out a heaping barrow load of roots from one square yard of garden, and this can take over an hour. Life is not long enough to waste on this foul pest. Every tiny shred of living root can re-sprout to form another raft of roots running through your beds. When that sheen of new green shoots suddenly reappears, you need to spray again, or within weeks your garden will again be overrun. The only way is to grit your teeth and get it done. Thoroughly. Done properly, by spraying around your garden for a MUCH wider barrier than 4 feet, will give blissful relief. I never grow roundup-ready crops, nor do I spray it on edible plants. I believe that roundup is the least harmful of all herbicides we can use, and that most of its bad press is due to it being routinely and frequently sprayed on GMO food crops, which have been altered to resist Glyphosate while still absorbing it. But judicious, careful application when necessary, using sufficient to achieve a good kill, is a life saver when couch/quack/twitch grass is threatening our livelihood and physical health.

@DocScience2

8 ай бұрын

We have something called Japanese Knotweed which is somewhat similar, but can be eradicated after a few years of digging out the roots. Every small piece of root section can regrow a new plant. They sometimes call them elephant ears. (( Cape Breton, Canada, invaded by colonies of tall, bamboo-like plants. Colonies of elephant ears, a tall, bamboo-like ornamental garden plant, are choking out native plant species and threatening to take over. ))

Thank you for the lovely video. Nice seeing Burley and the kitties .Great looking potatoes .♥️🇨🇦

It’s so great to see Clay home, retired, and working with you! I’m sure you are happy about it too! I just put my garden to bed; compost, a bit of bone meal, and a nice layer of straw works well for me. Burley looks ready for Halloween;, he can use his eye scar as a badge of honor showing how strong he is, and garner some Halloween dog treats at the same time!🎃🐾🧄🥔

Ariel it's so nice to see you and Clay working side by side collecting your harvest. Congratulations again on a very productive season!

Ariel, for the past month I have been binge-watching most of your videos going back 5 years and I'm utterly enjoying them. Your photography and videography skills are stunning - your patience is our reward. I am from a large urban centre in Alberta Canada but your surroundings remind me of the Rockies and the foothills, and the smaller farms that dot those foothills in Alberta. My dad's family were pioneer stock going back many many generations both here in Alberta and the US and your journey reminds me of the stories they would tell.

@mygirls6255

8 ай бұрын

Me too!

Sweet Burley! Interesting about the quack grass. Good looking potatoes. Beautiful sunset!

I’ve never heard of it before. Here in Scotland, I suppose the nearest thing is Japanese Knotweed which can easily grow through cement.

@DocScience2

8 ай бұрын

We have them in Cape Breton, Canada, and the many early sottish settlers probably brought them here. They often call them elephant ears, here, but they precisely match Japanese Knotweed in pictures. It says that parts are edible, so in case of famine, learn how to cook them.

That grass just looks like a battle. Looks like a good potato crop and it was great to see Burley and the kitties.

Yes, I found something beautiful here -- two beautiful people who so generously share their lives and home with us here. Thanks!

Here in S.E.Qld Australia we have nut grass that grows just like invasive grass. Once you get one piece in your lawn or garden there's no removing it !!!! I know its impossible but each year I tried , now I'm unable to bend so gardening and weeding are not on my agenda any more. The nut grass will have won and will now have full reign 😢😢😢😢 Lovely to see you both in another video, it must be such a blessing to have Clay as company daily now. I love having you both in the videos. Many blessings to both 🇦🇺🤗💞🙏👍👌✌️👏🇺🇸

😳In response to Ariel's questioning about any beneficial aspects of quack grass, I found the following on an Ontario (Canada) government website. Also included Ontario's summary of the damage caused by quack grass. **Benefits** Although quack grass can cause extensive crop losses, it does have some redeeming qualities. Quack grass can be used for pasture or hay. Harvested at the same growth stage, quack grass has a total (dry) crude protein content comparable to timothy. With its dense mat of rhizomes and roots, quack grass efficiently binds soil on embankments and slopes, actively reducing soil erosion. Research has indicated that quack grass is one of the most effective plants for reclaiming nutrients, such as nitrogen, from sewage effluent sprayed on vegetation. Certain natural chemicals extracted from quack grass have been found to have insecticidal properties against mosquito larvae and molluscs, particularly slugs. Finally, the rhizomes can be dried and ground up for teas or used as a flour source. **Economic Significance** Due to its highly competitive nature, quack grass can effectively reduce crop yields by as much as 25% to 85% in corn, 19% to 55% in soybeans, and up to 57% in wheat. These yield reductions may result from quack grass' luxurious use of nutrients. It is estimated that quack grass can absorb approximately 55%, 45%, and 68% of the total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, respectively, available for plant use. In addition to yield losses, the presence of quack grass seed or rhizomes can affect the quality of the crop. For grass seed producers, contamination of the crop with quack grass seed can greatly reduce the value of the grass seed. Rhizomes are fairly flexible and they can grow through many underground structures, such as potato tubers, thereby reducing the marketability of the product. Also, in a corn field, an infestation of quack grass can delay silking, tasseling, and slow grain dry down at harvest. Quack grass acts as a host for various pests. It can be infected with various cereal diseases such as leaf rusts, smuts, ergot, take-all, and straw breaker. Some insect pests such as armyworm and cereal leaf beetle use quack grass as an alternate or intermediate host to cereals.

@jonap5740

8 ай бұрын

@wendyweaver8749 Wow, that was interesting to read! Thank you for posting it!

Crazy Quack Grass!!! Hello Shadow! Awesome harvest, you two. Hugs to Burley.👍😎🇨🇦🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🥔🥔

We have horse tail which forms a mat under the garden near the house going down 15ft bellow ground. Our neighbour used to pull it up from his garden and throw it down. It's a prehistoric plant known as the Lego plant as each section that easily breaks apart will form a new plant.

Quack grass is the worst! I had it alongside some new garden beds I put in last fall, and by this fall I literally dug out an entire short-bed pickup load of roots. It took days, and was disgusting and discouraging. Needless to say, I carted all those nasty roots to the dump! No way was I going to try composting them. I will be laying down black plastic, for sure! Also I will be more vigilant in policing any little sprouts that pop up from roots I missed. Good looking potato harvest!! I love seeing the two of you in the videos, so thanks for being willing to participate, Clay!

You probably have no idea how many people this video will help. There are probably many types of weeks which will cause similar invasive problems in the garden and everyone should make a similar barrier around their garden, no matter how well they know the weeds in their area. Thankyou for the well described warnings. I am taking note for future reference.

Daang. It's really a shame quack grass has no good uses for humans! It would certainly be a care free crop. The kudzu of the Wyoming mountains.

Great to see Burley smiling again. Nice harvest! Thanks for sharing.

Love digging potatoes! Nice crop.

# BEAUTIFUL Potato Harvest!! : )

None native Japanese Knotweed is such a huge problem in the UK it can cause massive damage to buildings, sewers and paving. It grows extremely quickly, penetrating cracks and joints as it spreads .It grows at the rate of 10cm a day . It was originally brought in as a ornimental plant obviously from Japan .

@SherryEllesson

8 ай бұрын

Kudzu is like that in the southeastern U.S. It was originally brought in to be erosion control and animal forage, but it got out out of hand and now drags down entire square miles of woodlands. It spreads by seeds, roots and rhizomes and is called "mile-a-minute" weed.

@earlshine453

8 ай бұрын

Also in the Netherlands. WatchIng vids on YT showed me that it's also in the USA

@DocScience2

8 ай бұрын

We have it in cape breton, Canada quite bad in some areas. I have dug up roots for about 3 years to get rid of it, and the newest shoots. If there is a famine, they say it is edible. Learn how to cook it.

@DocScience2

8 ай бұрын

If there is a famine, they say it is edible. Learn how to cook it.

wow I hope you can eliminate the quack grass ! sounds like it is VERY stubborn!! ENJOY your harvest from your garden~~

I had no idea crab grass was so invasive! Interesting & informative video! 👍 Love hearing the rooster. 🐓 Shadow 🥰 she is fast, I thought she was a fox sprinting around! 🤣

@jonap5740

8 ай бұрын

Is crab grass the same as the quack grass they have?

@tinydancer7426

8 ай бұрын

No!@@jonap5740

Holy cow, what a scourge it is!

Im new here. Just found a video of yours last night. I really enjoyed watching you pick up your spuds... your new kitty is precious. Shes pretty and the dog is beaitiful. Glad i found you.

Hi, here in Victoria Australia.🦋 I looked up quack grass and it’s also called couch. Have in my front ornamental garden, and a few tiny patches in back. Have raised veggie beds made with corrugated iron 1ft, deep. Couch hasn’t spread into them in the last 51/2 years… touch wood!, Love your videos 🎶😎

Sounds like what you need to do it dig a trench around the perimeter of your garden, frame deeply as you would for a foundation with a fairly wide footer as a barrier, pour and then continue the framing as high as you figure the quack grass won't climb over, and do a monolithic concrete pour. and the keep you fingers crossed that it won't mutate and go deep to breach the underground wall or figure out how to climb over the above ground wall.

Great crop of potatoes.🎉

Greetings from Fairystone State Park. Wish I knew half as much about soil preparation as you both. Your animals are so content. 👍

The phrase "this means war" came to mind when you were showing examples of the grass. LOL..I'd probably spend the winter planning my assault.

Great video as usual

Wow Ariel!!! Who knew about the quackgrass

Are the potatoes still edible after they have been stabbed by the quack grass?

Maybe you could educate us again on quackgrass. Some of us still think that you are saying crabgrass. Similar BUT NOT THE SAME. 😉

I had that this year on the other side of wyoming.. never have had it before and this is the sixth year for our garden

Beautiful sunset. Burley is just as happy as he ever. that boy doesn't even know that he had any difficulties. He's such a happy boy with such a great family. Look at his beautiful smile.❤❤ What a great potato harvest! Mashed potatoes twice mashed potatoes with garlic herb and cheese baked potatoes twice-baked potatoes fully loaded mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy hashbrowns deep fried hash browns with chili over it potato soup potato stew potato pie potato bread potatoes potatoes potatoes! So many things to make with potatoes so filling and so yummy.

❣️🤗... Potato is Life ❣️

Thanks for showing your beautiful land and homestead. I am shocked at how the roots of the quack grass shot through your potatoes. I have never seen that before. I will check out the videos you have attached as well so I can learn more about it. Great to see you two and look forward to the next video! Cute kitty too, Shadow!

Great video very informative the potato 🥔 looked great 👍🏻

Thank you.

I grew up on a dairy farm, and we also had many other animals that we raised. We had a small flock of sheep (probably 11 or 12 sheep), and a goat in our front pasture, and if we ever wanted to clear a field, they'd sure do the job. At first I didn't understand why he refused to allow the sheep in the back pastures with the cows, but it's because cows just eat the tops of the green growth, the sheep would eat it all the way down to the roots, and then would eat the roots. All you'r have left is dirt and mud when it rains. I don't know if that is something you'd be interested in doing, getting a couple of sheep or goats, but they do a great job of clearing a property. For myself, I'd rather have a goat, there's so many things you can do with goat milk. Many people who can't eat dairy can eat goat cheese and drink goat milk. My grandmother always made goat buttermilk and used it in baking.

As always you two. I learned something today, saw some beautiful scenery and enjoyed myself. Thanks for sharing. Peace Out.

Till the area next to the raised beds four or five times a year. Goat/goats? love quack grass. Sheep tear up the roots. And apply free fertilizer!

It is definitely a tough grass to fight. A cover crop of rye puts out a chemical that fights it. It is tough on corn also. However the grazing animals do eat it and it does make a hay crop.

Glad you two are doing well……..

Quack grass made an appearance in my garden a few years ago and is now EVERYWHERE. I suspect it came in with some seed corn because it began where I had planted the corn but now it's everywhere including in my raised beds. VERY difficult to get rid of. Exhausting to pull out. A scuffle hoe works best. I'm glad someone down below said there's no point in burning it out because I was considering that option. I've tried 30% vinegar with soap and orange oil and that did NOTHING to it. Glyphosate does not stop it and I am not a fan of glyphosate. Besides that would destroy my raised bed soil. Most of it is in my paths between the beds but it's also invaded the beds. Putting thick black plastic down would destroy drainage and eventually destroy the soil because it could get no water, no sun and would harden. I may just have to move the entire garden to another site. Fortunately I have enough open acreage to do that. I'd have to be careful about transplanting perennials so that no quack grass roots are moved with them. I'll take this Winter to ponder what to do come Spring.

@DocScience2

8 ай бұрын

dark plastic on the paths with slots cut in for drainage should not stop the water from getting into the ground. It should also help keep the moisture higher in the ground.

Very nice harvest. By chance would that be Mt. Moran range ? If not don’t say what range for privacy reasons. Thank You Ariel & Clay. Stay Warm & Take Care. 👍👍😊

Crab grass is something I have dealt with most of my gardening life, so I completely empathize with you.

🥰

I’m aware of the current situation with fires but have you ever thought of doing a small control burn? It may alleviate some of it & then do follow up control burns

I have that nasty grass in Texas!

So sorry about your quack grass. Hopefully you can get rid of it.

I have had experience with quack grass--it is persistent and impossible to eliminate.

We have crab grass in our neighborhood I don't know if is the same,have a bless day 😊🍁🍂🍂

The potatoes that got stabbed by the quack grass roots will not taste good, at least that was my experience.

Whoa!😮 That is a dang determined weed. No redeeming qualities? Are the potatoes are still good if they're been pierced by quack grass?

I had a nightmare situation with bamboo. I know salt would kill it but it also sterilizes the soil for years. Not sure which is the lesser of the evils. Still, loved this video, like a visit with good friends.💜

Thanks for the update! Do quack grass roots invade ahead of the grass itself? I didn’t see any grass in the potato bed, but maybe you had already weeded it all out. Sorry you’re having to deal with that stuff!

❤❤❤❤

We have a lot of Bermuda grass here in Georgia and I hate it. It’s so aggressive. If you can’t do anything with it it takes over everything I bought Georgia had the worst weeds anywhere but I don’t know.

@denisejones1863

8 ай бұрын

Same in NC Bermuda lawn put in by builder, daily battle to keep our of flower beds.

@craig9843

8 ай бұрын

@@denisejones1863 there has always been Bermuda on the property where I live. A battle if you are trying to have a garden. I was foolish and back in the early 90s I brought tons of Bermuda home and planted from work. They were have work done on the lawn and had to dig so much of it up. They threw it out. Wish I had never. I do have more centipede now and some St. Augustine which is great.

So I googled quack grass, and apparently some people think it makes excellent forage, along with other grasses. Maybe bison love it....

Quack grass and mosquitoes seem to serve zero purpose 😬

I've never heard of quack grass, it doesn't mean I never saw it, I'm not familiar. It looks like a real PIA.

@KatherineWalden

8 ай бұрын

We have both crab grass and quack grass here in Alberta Canada - a total PIA for both urban and rural gardeners.

Oh I thought this confounded st.augustine grass was bad!! It will wrap around n thru n pulling it up with tons of roots is a nightmare. Quack grass?

I tried torching my quack grass one year FYI-didn’t work! May have even caused it to spread.

The internet says that people up in that area will plant quack grass to feed cows, goats or sheep. Maybe you need a little bottle fed sheep? I loves my sheeps.

In removing the infested sod, do you have a method for disposing of that sod without spreading the roots to other parts of your land?

Quack Grass the original existential threat, before Oppenheimer and AI…

According to my research, quackgrass grows 8 inches deep. Will need heavy machinery to dig out! Consider herbicide at first sign of growth in spring, dig, cover with tarp, then 8" of top soil. Then, seed with grass and fertilize.

@prairielavender

8 ай бұрын

Quack grass grows way more than 8 inches down! We did a house reno a number of years ago and when excavating for the basement the quack grass roots were 3+ feet below sod level.

Ariel, Do you do consultations about Tiny Houses and living in a similar area to yours?

I agree it is the worst weed I know of & impossible to remove!

Are you going to be able to use the potatoes that were stabbed by the quack grass? I am assuming you can’t store them they may not last.

So do the quack grass roots affect the palatability or safety of the potatoes they are in? I would guess they can't be stored.

Can you eat the potatoes it pierced or went through? Are you putting plastic down now?

Where did the words Y Nyth come from? Those two words in Welsh mean my nest.

So what are going to do with the potatoes that have the grass growing through them? Just cut off and salvage what you can?

Is there any way to stop it from growing? Can it grow through metal? If not, then how about lining the bottom and sides with either sheet metal or metal flashing., just a thought to ponder for next year.

Hi Ariel! What is Micah's KZread channel? I believe you mentioned it once, but I can't find it. Thanks!!

Is there something that eats crab grass

OH MY !!!! I had no idea about quack grass, have never seen it before : ( # IT'S JUST LIKE SIN, HUH??! It's so DESTRUCTIVE : (

Pigs will grub out the rhizomes and eat them? Care to raise some hogs?😬

@wendyweaver8749

8 ай бұрын

Per Cornell University, yes, pigs will grub out and eat quack grass rhizomes.

I have never heard of "QUACK Grass." Is it the same thing as Crab .grass???? Crab grass is a pain in the butt to get rid of and will overrun a flower bed or garden something awful! I spray that stuff down with round up because if I don’t, it takes over everything,,, it has to be killed…

Burley looks good! Blessings! Nice potato harvest, Ariel. I did a video about my potatoes on my channel if you want to check it out....I've been watching yours for years. I'm in zone 6 Connecticut and battle bindweed, bittersweet and tree of heaven (misnomer it's hell lol)

Hello Glad you have each other to work. Wow I was about to ask about using plastic. After a year and those died , is it possible to control burn the quack grass? God less and protect you. Fun to see how you enjoy working together. 👌🏼👏🏼👏🏼✌🏼🤟🏼🫶😍🙋🏻🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼