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wellington womble
Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 15051 Location: East Midlands
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Posted: Tue Mar 20, 18 9:07 pm Post subject: |
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COVER THE SOIL! all of the time. Never, ever leave it bare. It sprouts weeds in seconds. It matter less what you cover it with, so long as it keeps the light out.
My preference is proper, woven weed suppressing membrane. I cover the beds all winter with it, and then when it’s time to plant I cover the gaps around/between plants with grass cuttings or bark chippings as I plant the beds up, which I renew as available. At the end of the season I cover with alpaca/chicken/guinea pig bedding/compost (also as available) and then with WSM again, leaving lovey, crumbly, fertile soil to plant straight into. If you are religious about it, it will nearly eliminate weeding, making your gardening about pleasurable planting and less back breaking digging or 'preparing' of beds, which is tedious when you want to get stuff in the ground.
Also, think about paths. I favour weed suppressing membrane with gravelly stuff over it (bark chips were fine in year one, and ok in two. By year three they had rotted down into lovely compost and my paths grew more weeds than the beds did). I haven’t yet found a good construction method of keeping the paths easy to walk/barrow on (don’t underestimate how much more pleasureable this makes gardening) and keeping the soil off them. I’m thinkng of Hoggin, but I think it would hard to sweep/wash down. |
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dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 46220 Location: yes
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Slim
Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Posts: 6612 Location: New England (In the US of A)
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dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 46220 Location: yes
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15972
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sgt.colon
Joined: 27 Jul 2009 Posts: 7380 Location: Just south of north.
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frewen
Joined: 08 Sep 2005 Posts: 11405
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Fee
Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 15922 Location: Earth
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sgt.colon
Joined: 27 Jul 2009 Posts: 7380 Location: Just south of north.
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sgt.colon
Joined: 27 Jul 2009 Posts: 7380 Location: Just south of north.
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gregotyn
Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 2201 Location: Llanfyllin area
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sgt.colon
Joined: 27 Jul 2009 Posts: 7380 Location: Just south of north.
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Nicky cigreen
Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 9881 Location: Devon, uk
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Fee
Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 15922 Location: Earth
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sgt.colon
Joined: 27 Jul 2009 Posts: 7380 Location: Just south of north.
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