I need your help. No, this isn't an Easter egg hunt lawn, it's the inside of my future garden area before mowing it. Now there will be more raised beds in here, about ten more actually. And I'm working on a plan for a drip irrigation system. But this mowing is just getting too difficult and will only get harder.
The Big Green Zen Machine of course doesn't fit through the gate and in the future, wouldn't fit between the beds anyway. So it's either borrow 2nd Family's push power, or use the weed eater. Regardless of which I use, they both throw grass everywhere, including inside the raised beds. I would like to kill off all the grass inside here.
Again, there will be more raised beds that will 'eat up' grass space, but between the beds, I just can't have grass that I need to mow/trim/edge or whatever. I don't want to pour down chemicals poisons all over the ground but I'd be open to natural solutions too, so long as nothing would affect what's later planted in the raised beds. Weed block cloth I guess could be a possibility, it would kill off the grass and be 'ready' for future topping material? I'm not sure what I will put down as the final material, gravel would be really nice but would also be cost (and probably labor) prohibitive.
Bark mulch? Straw? Decomposed granite? Sand?
Thoughts? I am open to any and all suggestions!
I'd like to get started on grass killing soon, so that I can start building the other beds and then get the irrigation system in.
Hmmm...Remembering the big dead grass ring in the lawn from our swimming pool, I found this -
ReplyDeletehttp://homeguides.sfgate.com/kill-sod-grass-black-plastic-45345.html
Black plastic garbage bags might do the trick. It will take a while but you aren't ready for your next beds anyway. (From experience, weeds & grass will eventually grow in bark mulch/sand/gravel.)
Great suggestions, thank you for that link. Yes, the beds will come later, I know that looks like a lot of green space but it will be mostly more raised beds (even if not in use right away). Thank you!!
DeleteHmmm, redesign the gate and make it wider, and widen the space between beds. To cover large area you could use a tarp to block out the weeds, then cover with some kind of mulch.
ReplyDeleteThe beds are already three feet apart, which is more than the regular two feet that alot use. The space fits regular mowers, but even if I had the gate widened, it's not that big green area that I would be mowing, it would be, ultimately between those beds and sadly (for this purpose anyway) the big green zen machine has a five foot mowing deck so I wouldn't be able to suse that either. I just don't want to push mow and rake inside there....ha.
DeleteWhen I take out grass to expand a garden I put down a layer of cardboard, then cover that with several inches of dirt. Eventually the cardboard decomposes and the grass is dead. I read this is supposed to take 6 months but here in Seattle it took more like a year. However if you are building raised bed gardens you could put down the cardboard and dirt build your raised beds and cover the rest of the new dirt with wood chips or something for mulch to keep the weeds down.
ReplyDeleteI did put the cardboard down under the existing beds and will do for the new ones as I build them. I think I might check that out...Maybe I just put the cardboard down over everything and leave it....certainly can't hurt, right? ha. Thank you!!
DeleteI used black weedblock lininig to cover area where my beds were to kill of all grass before building small garden, but in the large we used mulch mixed with sand thick layer to keep it under control.
ReplyDeleteOooh, good idea too! Dang, I might have lots of things to choose from now, ha. Thank you very much Jenny!
DeleteWhen we decided to turn our backyard into a victory garden, we had a bunch of grass to get rid of. We bought wide landscape fabric from Costco and laid it right over the grass. Then we.put crushed rock over it. Voila! Instagarden. The rock has been wonderful because it brings heat to our Portland area garden. I don't think I could grow tomatoes or eggplant without it. But since you are in the heat intensive area of Texas, I would recommend bark mulch as a great second option!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I was worried about the cost and labor of gravel, as that was my first thought, but when all the beds are in place, and all I have to cover are the paths, maybe it won't be so bad. I have a coworker who is always shopping at costco and asks me if I need anything. Hmm..... :-)
DeleteThanks Shannan, great info!!
Beware! If you have Bermuda grass, most rules do not apply! I've gardened in Texas for 30 years and I've been 100% organic for all those years. Bermuda grass has caused me all sorts of grief and frustration! I've dug it out by hand, placed weed barrier over the dug out spot and built raised beds over it, just to have the bermuda grass work it's way THRU the weed barrier to the top of my raised bed, making it impossible to pull out because the roots all still underneath the weed barrier and all you can do is break them off at that point. Eventually the grass will take over your bed no matter how much hand pulling you do in 100 degree days in July.
ReplyDeletei've also tried layers upon layer of carboard. Eventually the bermuda grass works it way thru. The black plastic works best, but it needs a solid hot summer to do the job. Bermuda grass roots go as deep as China you know.
Btw, I've used vinager weed killer too, but it won't kill the roots of bermuda grass.
You need to research this, my friend. Research hard! Check the TAMU site. Google "eradicating bermuda grass"
If you don't have Bermuda grass? Well, you are one lucky dude, and life just got a lot easier for you! ;)
Vonne
To be honest, I'm not sure what it is....I think it's probably a bit of everything, whatever seed happens to blow through over the years, ha. Actually this garden area was originally all overgrown and I cleared it and just started mowing it regularly and it turned into some sort of franken-lawn, ha.
DeleteBut if there is some mixed in, I need to see how to eradicate it. Side note, the Texas A&M site is an amazing resource.
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a detailed comment, much appreciated.
At this point, the least costly would be to make the gate larger so you can get the mower thru and then position the raised beds so that you can get between them too. Depending on what kind of grass it is, you will probably have to put something underneath the beds as well to stop it from taking over the beds. And, if it is Bermuda grass, maybe you might consider growing it, have somebody cut, bale and sell for feed. Grass will not grow if it can't get any sun. Carpet remnants might be another good source of eliminating sun light. Oh, the joys of gardening!
ReplyDeleteJoys are right, ha. I've already discovered the joys when my watering system failed, so no summer garden. I can get a regular mower through the gate no problem, it's just a lot to mow and when I get between the beds, even though they are 3 feet wide a a mower fits easily, it just throws grass everywhere, including into the beds. If i bagged it up, the bagger would make it impossible to fit between the beds. I love the carpet remannt idea. I need to see where I can get some for an inexpensive price. Y'all are giving me lots of great ideas! Thank you!!!
Deletei used gravel between my raised bed but the weeds grow through it. you can kill them with vinegar water though. you can also spread straw over the gravel and then at the end of the year mix it in with your compost. cardboard is good to put down underneath your raised beds.
ReplyDeleteGravel is my ultimate goal but I like the straw idea too (a coworker mentioned too). Will definitely put cardboard under the future beds too. Thank you!
DeleteMy garden area was a lot smaller but I covered the grass with layers of newspaper and then mulched it. I add new mulch every year and have to pull weeds. Grass has not been a problem. I say that but this year for the first time I put straw on the beds as a mulch and I see some seed heads sprouting there. Straw was supposed to be seed free. Oh, well. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteTake a look at this garden in the UK. http://marksvegplot.blogspot.com
I have friends that would save me papers, that's for sure. I don't mind a few weeds here and there, it's just that nasty grass that seems to take over, ha. Thank you Marcia, as always!!! Oh, and the link is great. I joined his site.
DeleteBuy two sheep
ReplyDeleteHaha John!
DeleteOr goats.
DeleteWhat about 'rent a sheep'? I only need it gone until I can put down other stuff, LOL! Or, 'rent a goat'? Ha.
DeleteI suggest renting a sod cutter and taking up the grass. Then install the landscape cloth and put down a thick layer of much.
ReplyDeleteBetter yet PAY someone to remove the sod and you can install the weed barrier and mulch, lol
DeleteA sod cutter? I"ve never seen one of those but now I'm curious! Ha, paying is not such a bad idea too is it?
DeleteI hear that gasoline kills grass fairly effectively. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL! ;-)
DeleteI would not use gas or chemicals. Vinegar on the grass with kill it. Boiling water will kill the roots, but that's a lot of boiling water. Anything in the garden section is expensive. Go inside Lowe's and get the heavy black plastic used in construction, heaviest you can get. Cut that in appropriate strips a little wider than the paths.
ReplyDeleteOne woman said the cardboard got moldy and smelly and slimy to walk on. I don't know.
Wood chips, possibly gotten for free from tree cutters will kill the grass and weeds. You could put it over the black plastic. Actually, buying your own chipper might be cheaper. Don't get bark. It is not what you need for the paths. I have pine straw (brown, fallen needles from pines) that used heavily block the sun quite well.
Vinegar is working almost as well as Roundup.
Worry not! I was being facetious. ;)
DeleteVinegar is a great idea. I could put it in one of those pump up sprayers? Might work huh? Definitely NO roundup (speaking of, Roundup is probably on par with pure gasoline as far as harmful, ha). That heavy black plastic is a great idea too. I've seen it in thick/heavy varieties. I will look soon. Thank you!!!
DeleteStabilization Mat (Road Fabric) and gravel, mulch, sand or medium of choice on top.
ReplyDeleteWow, that took less time than expected for you to get tired of mowing. :-)
I wanted to reply to this first. I'm not tired of mowing, I LOVE mowing....on my zen machine, haha. After having 2 seasons of riding around in relative comfort, pushing an old lawnmower in and around the beds, the mower getting snuffed out every time I mow into too thick grass, and having to yank the pull cord to restart it about 10 times..I have flashbacks to my childhood where my Dad made me mow when I didn't want to, LOL! There is still lots of mowing on the property (about 3 acres) and I enjoy all of that. Perhaps I've just gotten used to the lap of luxury on the John Deere, HA!!!
DeleteThanks for the info, the road fabric is a great thought, I'll check that out. :-)
Sheep?
ReplyDeleteWhoops, hadn't read the other comments. Seems I'm just repeating John's suggestion. LOL
DeleteUm, would wood chips or wood mulch attract ants? I know even up here in Ohio ants tunnel into deep mulch or my wood chips....
DeleteHa, it's ok, great minds think alike! :-) We're not there full time so no animals available. But someday, perhaps! About the only ants we have to worry about down these parts are the dreaded 'fire ant'. And they don't generally build in mulch so that's good.
DeletePut down a barrier of cardboard or newspapaper with the edges overlapping. I'm talking about a thick layer of paper, full sections about 1/2" thick, then something over it to hold it down. Wood chips, straw, (make sure it's free of wheat seeds or it'll sprout and you'll have a whole new problem) stones, or even grass clippings. The whole thing will smother the grass and slowly break down to soft walkable paths that will be nice underfoot and save you the mowing. Black plastic won't let the water through and you'll have puddles and hot spots in your garden.
ReplyDeleteI used commercial grade landscape cloth and a deep layer of almond wood chips for my original raised bed garden ...it's worked very well for the last 3 or 4 years. I'm in the process of a large garden expansion and I'm using a combination of cardboard and shredded newspaper, landscaping cloth and the deep bedded woodchips...I think it will work great!
ReplyDeleteI have a nasty feeling that whatever you choose will be a very labour intensive task and probably costly. Personally I would actually decide what you want the area to look like and go from there. If you ultimately want gravel it might be a different approach than if you wanted say dirt paths. If you want grass between it will be purchasing/borrowing a hand mower but will be a lot of work when it wants cutting perhaps. You have a lot of wonderful 'inspiration' pictures and if you want to go for a specific look like in some of them, then now is the time to decide, because 'undoing' anything you now do will be even more of a pain. XX
ReplyDeleteI say several layers of cardboard... but then, I am having to mow between MY raised beds too, and it's a PAIN IN THE PATOOTIE!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a pain?? And you used the nice word, I use the bad one, LOL! So have cardboard, black tarp, carpet, weed block fabric, vinegar and fire. I love all these suggestions!! Thank you! And I'm glad to know someone can related to mowing between the beds, It's not so much that it's hard, though turning sharp corners isn't easy, backwards and forwards, it's also just messy.
DeleteYou can try burning before laying down a barrier of cardboard, weed cloth, black plastic, decomposed granite etc. I don't mean setting it all on fire but using a long handled nozzle attached to a bbq propane tank. The heat of the fire steams the plants as well as melting off the natural "oils" plants use to help retain water. KILLS whatever you "burn". They wilt and die and blow away or can be raked if larger. We used this method before putting down a decomposed granite path and after to control stray weeds that pop up in it now. Just "burned" a neighbors side yard that had a ton of volunteers or suckers from the trees and bushes in the next neighbors yard. Worked great on trees/bushes up to knee high.
ReplyDeleteI saw that in Lowe's, about $20. It looks like a great idea, one I may try. I may try it on the back fence that has wisteria taking over my yard. It is the neighbor's fence, but my lawn!
Deleteoooh, a fascinating idea! I will check into that. We had a decomposed granite driveway in town for a few years and I believe the previous owners may have used that. It rings a bell now that you mention it. Thank you!!! And Linda, if you get one before me, let us know how it works for you too.
DeleteThanks Candace!!! I will research that!
OK my 2 cents, I have grass and not a lot of money so cardboard!!! I weedeatered it real short and put cardboard down. It works great!! Its like Lazzana gardening. I put cardboard where ever i want to kill grass, it will decompose and the worms love it too, recycling at its best!! free cardboard it everywhere. Costco, dumsters for recycles, Trader Joes wine boxes.
ReplyDeleteHappy Gardening
Wendy
in raining Wa.
Do a google search for sheet mulching and you'll get good directions on how to do it. We just did this in our front yard on the advice of a landscaper. We got a ton of cardboard (free, as folks mentioned above, from Costco or you could try an auto body shop - those fenders come in big boxes!), chicken poop, and mulch - also free, we called a tree cutting service and they dumped a giant load of mulched up tree trimmings in our driveway.
ReplyDeleteIt took a good day of concentrated effort to cover our 1300 sq ft front yard - but eventually it's going to compost down (the guy told us about 3-4 months depending on the weather) and we'll get a good layer of soil under all the mulch. I bet you could put additional planter beds right on top of it.
The whole project cost us about $100 to complete.
Funny, I heard that grass around garden beds was a good idea because they are good places for earthworms.
ReplyDelete