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I have managed to pull up nearly all the HUGE weeds in the front garden. Now, I'd like to cover it so the buggers will die (or at least remain dormant) until I'm ready to landscape (= have enough funds to have someone else do it). So, do I use plastic? Polyester landscape fabric? Newspaper? It may be a year or so before I can have work done on the very large area.
Another issue: I'd like to possibly plant wildflowers for spring and then in spring plant a whole field of sunflowers in front. Do I do that on top of plastic, if I use plastic? Was just going to throw down some potting soil and use that...but that's probably not enough for roots...
Ideas, please???
Thanks!
Another issue: I'd like to possibly plant wildflowers for spring and then in spring plant a whole field of sunflowers in front. Do I do that on top of plastic, if I use plastic? Was just going to throw down some potting soil and use that...but that's probably not enough for roots...
Ideas, please???
Thanks!
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SF Bay Area
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Re: Covering weeds
Sat, October 31, 2009 - 10:46 AMI'd avoid plastic unless you never want to disturb that area ever again, it's a pain to pull up. Newspaper, wetted and layered 3 sheets thick with overlapping works really well and can give you a few years weed free. The best part is that it'll naturally decompose and be good roughage for the soil... and if you need to plant more you can punch a hole in it and plant away. When the weeds come back in 2-3 years, just repeat the newspaper again and your set for a while longer. I'd put down compost or guano then newspaper... so you'll have a good nutrient layer underneath, then put woodchips, straw, or whatever on top of the newspaper.
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Re: Covering weeds
Sat, October 31, 2009 - 10:48 AMI have never tired this, but I have heard that you can use plain cardboard from old cardboard boxes. Wet it well first and then cover it with mulch. the wet cardboard will let water through but not let weeds grow up through it, and it will last for at least a year before finally disintegrating into the ground.
I would think that potting soil would work as well but it might just encourage more weeds to grow on top. I would think you would need a lot of layers of newspaper to make a good barrier and then you'd have to be sure the paper used soy based inks especially if you plan on eating the sunflower seeds. Non-soy based inks can contain heavy metals.
A local chain hardware store here sells a landscape fabric made out of paper that is supposed to last a year and then degrade into the ground. I have never tried it, but it might be an option for you.
I hope that helps,
Sara -
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Re: Covering weeds
Sat, October 31, 2009 - 11:44 AMWow, great input. Thanks! A friends just said she tried the cardboard trick once, but layered it with soil, then another layer of newspaper. Guess the layers are the key. Not planning on eating anything from the front yard - live on a pretty heavily driven street. Thanks again!
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Re: Covering weeds
Sat, October 31, 2009 - 6:08 PMI've used plastic in the past with good effect, but this year i used cardboard and i like it much better. -
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Re: Covering weeds
Tue, November 3, 2009 - 12:01 AMI preferr cardboard too! My sister and her partner own a bike shop, so I get all the huge boxes from them (they would have to pay to get rid of them) I just slit the sides and lay them out.I even made a compost bin from them this year. Whilst it didn't last too long it broke the weeds down quickly as seemed to generate more heat (more evenly) .............. -
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Re: Covering weeds
Tue, November 3, 2009 - 9:37 AMYeah...cardboard. I could kick myself b/c my mother just got rid of a ton of Ikea cardboard boxes...oh, well. If anyone in the SF east bay has tons of newspaper and/or cardboard, I'll gladly take it off your hands!
Thanks, y'all!
Carol -
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Re: Covering weeds
Sun, November 15, 2009 - 9:18 PMThere's some nasty chemicals in cardboard a lot of the time, as well as turpentine I've heard manufacturers put other kinds of preservatives, pesticides and such in to make it last longer. -
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Re: Covering weeds
Mon, November 16, 2009 - 1:29 AMI looked around for information on the glue in cardboard and what most organic gardeners think about using it. I found that indeed a lot of organic gardeners use it, and that most of it seems to be cornstarch glue, as this is cheapest and works fine. This would explain why worms seem to like it, which i have noticed and noticed that a lot of other gardeners have noticed as well.
I don't think there are many nasty chemicals in cardboard. I do not think pesticides are added, i think this would be quite unnecessary and expensive.
I spent the last half hour or so researching this online to answer this question and am now more enthusiastic about using cardboard in the garden than ever. It is high lignin and i have long thought that this is a very beneficial organic nutrient for the garden and very good for fungal life of the soil. This explains the very beneficial effects i see from it.
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Re: Covering weeds
Wed, November 4, 2009 - 6:34 PMI use hay bales. Break them into sections and mat it on thick. You can find them for free, if you look for a farmer who has some semi-moldy ones he can't feed the animals with.
