Clean Dirt
Originally uploaded by mikeysklar
Except for one odd bed, our garden's raised beds have remained relatively weed free even with crab/bermuda grass in every direction surrounding the beds. When we built them we lined them with weed cloth purchased from Peaceful Valley (about $200 for a pretty huge roll).
Today I took apart the one bed that was invaded with bermuda grass since we established it. I emptied all the dirt from it, sifted out the weeds and returned the soil again to the bed cleaned. I found that for reason's still unknown the bermuda grass was able to penetrate the weed cloth. It grew right through the bottom. Having now gone through a pretty laborious process to clean the soil and reset the bed, this time I lined it with two layers of shade cloth followed by cardboard and newspaper. My fingers crossed. I'd be more confident but I've seen bermuda grass grow through wood! Sigh. . .
1 comment:
Wetted down newspaper (the vegetable dye newsprint kind) does make for a pretty decent weed barrier akin to geotextile, albeit less durable over time due to its cellulose nature... Just lay it down thick enough and you'll get a year or so of protection.
It does tend to be a home for earwigs and other bugs if that's a problem for you. Earwigs can eat a lot of garden plants. We have them in droves here, so I've not used this method for the vegetable garden. I have used it successfully for keeping the grass out of a flagstone walkway while some wooly thyme and irish moss rooted between the stones.
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