Ideas for a base under and around my boxes.

abeyerl 2/27/2012, 6:15 pm

I am a SC newbie to the forum so I wanted to say "Hi" to everyone and ask some advice. I have gardened for the last few years using the SFG methods and had pretty good success. However, weeds around my boxes and last year, in them, have become a real problem! So, this past weekend I had a Bobcat come in and scrape all the grass and topsoil off right down to the hard red clay level. I am going to start again with fresh boxes. I wondered if anyone had any ideas what to lay down as a base in the 30 x 60 foot area to keep the weeds from coming back. I thought about mulch but that amount of cedar mulch is going to be a huge amount of money. Any ideas anyone? Thanks in advance!

littlejo 2/27/2012, 6:51 pm

I put weed cloth with mulch on top, I guess it was mostly pine for the power co. chipping trees. I thought it would work. The mulch has broken down to a compost over the last yr. The weeds think it is great, growing atop the weed cloth. Maybe a mulch, of either plastic or rubber, something that will not break down.

Jo

Patty from Yorktown 2/29/2012, 7:17 am

Welcome to the forum. I would go the organic route. You will probably want something down, so your shoes do not get muddy. Could be stepping stones, shredded leaves, cheap mulch... I spend most of my time weeding the paths in my garden not my raised beds. I am fine with that. The weeds come out of the paths easily, if there are too many small weeds I just pour boiling water on them (leftover from cooking dinner.) I have young children and need to be outside for an hour or more a day each day, especially in the summer. It gives me something to do. Enjoy your beautiful garden.

Patty from Yorktown

**walshevak** 2/29/2012, 7:36 am

i needed something quick for a muddy under a tree sitting area last year. eventually to have pavers. Somebody on the forum was using carpet strips to kill grass in pathways and under beds. So since I was replacing my carpets with hardwood floors, I had to guys take out the l/r carpet in one big piece and put it under my tree. Still in use,

Ha-v-v 2/29/2012, 7:54 am

I use cardboard boxes around my boxes and this year as new box goes in I will put cardboard under them as well. I used paper weed block on the previous beds, I bought that, cardboard is free. I go to a furniture store and they let me take their cardboard. Huge pieces are so much nicer to work with. I can also go to dollar general after a truck and take all I want too. I will have to replace the cardboard this year from last years. But it was so worth it to me.
I lay it down and when done I spray it with a shower spray and then walk all over it Smile

it will conform to the ground.

Ha-v-v

abeyerl 3/12/2012, 11:55 pm

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I am thinking about putting down cardboard, then weed cloth, then sand. I think I will put pavers around the boxes and maybe something like cedar mulch under the boxes. We are going to have an early spring this year so I need to get going on it so I can get my plants in the ground. I am so excited to get it done!

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