Deweeding - Is it necessary ?

Thick Weeds in some places

 While i visited the farm, i took the driver also inside the farm to keep him engaged. Myself, my wife,  Kandan and driver were walking slowly along the perimeter inspecting the plants.  Few feet from the fence, land had been kept clean by kandan. He had dug the mud loose around every plant. All other places, there was thick growth of grass or weed.

The instant reaction of the driver was "sir why don't you apply some de-weeder and get rid of them?".  Kandan and subbu were also suggesting ploughing the field. I shot back on them. Chemical ? you want me to spray chemical ? you want me to expose the surface to the hot Sun by spending money on bull dozer?



Weeds prevent drying of land

 I explained them that weeds are actually helpful to keep the underneth soil cool and moist.  Weeds form a natural mulch. It consumes very less resources. why should you spend your energy de-weeding unless you are going to do some serious plantations.  De-weeding can wait till we start the actual plantations.  Actually the weeds are now protecting the sibling plants from the hot wind that is blowing over there. It also keeps the area cool. 

As Naturalist Nammalwar used to say "if you dry a plant weighing 100 grams, it will become 50 due to water evoperation. You burn it and the ash will weigh 5 grams or less. Which is what in weight the resources it has consumed from soil. Rest (like Nitrogen) has been taken from atmosphere (ether) which it will give back. Therefore how can you say weeds are eating your resource?  Finally the driver understood and started alinging with me.  One more friend was born.