Nutgrass, Bindweed & False Garlic

Despite the most rigorous soil preparation and the most ardent gardening schedule, everyone at Ocean View Farms will at some point have to face the un-envious task of weeding their plot. 98% of all of the weeds that are removed from OVF plots, stay at OVF through our composting system, however there are three weeds that we do not put into our compost eco-system

• Nutgrass
• Bindweed
• False Garlic

Learn to recognize nutgrass, bindweed and false garlic and make sure they are not recycled through our compost.

These three weeds MUST go into the trash!

Large amounts of nutgrass, bindweed and false garlic should be put in the dumpsters, located in the parking lot, at the top of phase 1 or phase 2. Small amounts of these weeds (about a handful), can go into either the green or black barrels located on the south side of the green waste collection area.

Nutsedge (or nutgrass) looks like a pleated grass. It has a bulb, or nut, underground, and often another one even deeper than the first. It is very difficult to dig up all the nuts. If you can get most of it, and keep pulling off the tops as they appear, you can smother it. DO NOT PUT NUTGRASS IN THE COMPOST PILE. If you do, like false garlic, it will spread to other plots, maybe even returning to yours!

Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) is one of the world's 10 worst weeds which causes millions of dollars in crop yield loss each year and requires expensive control measures. Bindweed roots can penetrate up to 4 feet deep after 1 year and as deep as 20 feet after 3 years. The mature root system features a 20 to 30 foot taproot with many long, lateral roots. The roots have many white buds, each capable of producing a new shoot. DO NOT PUT BINDWEED IN THE COMPOST PILE. If you do, like false garlic and nutgrass, it will spread to other plots, maybe even returning to yours!

False Garlic looks like an onion or garlic, with narrow, grayish bulb foliage and small white flowers on stalks. Underground is a bulb and attached to it are many tiny corms. Dig out by hand and take some soil around the bulb as well, as the tiny corms may remain to sprout anew. DO NOT PUT FALSE GARLIC IN THE COMPOST PILE. Put it in the dumpsters outside the garden in the upper parking lot, or it will spread to other plots, maybe even returning to yours!

Small quantities of nutgrass, bindweed and false garlic (no more than one or two handfuls, WITHOUT garden soil) may be taken to one of the green trash receptacles near the green waste collection area. Larger amounts should ALWAYS be taken to one of the dumpsters located outside the garden above phase I or between phases II and III.