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| Here's a section of the backyard cover with weeds. There was a storm recently so there's a number of down branches.
It's a bit late in the season to start planting something and I am pretty going to be busy with other things. I was wondering if I can do something like a lasagna bed for next year. I have a lot of corrugated boxes. I was thinking that I'll mow down the weeds and then cover it with the cardboard and then dump some compost or top soil on top and then wait until next spring. Is this a good plan? Paul |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Thu, Jul 14, 11 at 12:56
| thats a great plan ... july/august is not really planting time.. so why not make some new beds for next year ... i always make new beds the year before ... so that i had a place for all the spring mail orders ... if it were me.. i would mow short.. roundup twice.. then go at it.. but if you have enough paper to do what you want to do.. do it anyway that pleases you ... grind up all the leaves in the fall and dont forget to dump those there also ... ken ps: it only took me 15 years to figure out to do it the year before.. lol ... |
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| Paul, Your plan should work & it kills the vegetation sufficiently that you wouldn't need a weed killer. We've done it several times to build mounded beds that will shrink down once decomposed and are super easy to plant in when ready. Just add layers as you have materials from various sources. Anything that you'd put in compost if chopped fine enough will work great as a thinly spread layer. At first we didn't, but now we use burlap bags as the top layer removing to add more materials. The burlap ages uniformly, keeps moisture & materials in while keeping weed seeds out! If you can find a local coffee roaster they may give you the bags for free! Otherwise black plastic weighed down with rocks works, too. |
Here is a link that might be useful: explains use of burlap over organic matter
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| No need for round up, just stick with your plan. Throw kitchen scraps out there often. They'll break down nicely for next year. I've lasagned and gone ahead and planted right away. I've also done it ahead of time. Either one works, but the latter works better IMO. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Fri, Jul 15, 11 at 9:05
| btw.. knowing your predilection to hosta [is that right or am i confused] .. are either of those tree favorable to gardening under.. if not.. begin by getting rid of those.. replacing with something better .. nothing better for mid summer.. than to kill a useless tree .. guilt free in my world.. if you replace it with a good one ... mother earth net zero ... and then build the garden bed ... no use encouraging carp trees with a supreme soil ... ken |
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| Good plan Paul! I use all sorts of paper for gardening projects. Paths are created by layering double or triple layers of cardboard, with 1-2 inches of wood chips on top. If I have time and patience, garden beds are created similarly, except that I layer leaves, grass clippings, coffee grounds, etc on top. You can go as thick as you want. You would not believe how it not only kills the unwanted vegetation underneath without weeding, but the soil becomes so much richer and easier to work. I use all kinds of paper too - cardboard (with any plastic tape/labels removed), pizza boxes, newspaper, brown paper shopping bags, office paper, shredded paper...you name it! If you have stubborn weeds, be sure to overlap the paper well, and even double or triple layer it. Vigorous weeds will grow through any cracks you leave in the paper. Btw, the worms absolutely LOVE the paper. |
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- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Fri, Jul 15, 11 at 13:03
| I agree with your plan, and don't think you need chems, either. Just wanted to say that if you do decide to use RU, do it before you mow. It works by taking the poison from the leaves to the roots. If you cut off all the leaves, there's nothing for the RU to stick to so it can be absorbed. |
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| Thanks for for everyone's help. Due to another project, I actually have several large cardbox boxes that I can tear up and lay over the area. I cannot get rid of the trees, they fall outside of my property line. Finding something to grow there will be a challenge since it's yet another shaded spot. Paul |
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| OK, I mowed down the area, but found that there is some sort of stump in the group. Attempt to remove it fail, it's pretty deep in.
Now I line the area with cardboard.
Tomorrow, I'll see if I can get some soil or compost to put on top. |
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- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Mon, Jul 18, 11 at 12:52
| Good start. So easy to discuss with pics. So is the part you didn't mow not your property? That grass is covered with mature seed heads... You could use a trash bag over/around that stump, which still looks alive - or is the green foliage just debris from mowing? Just leave the bag uncovered with mulch so you can find and remember to remove it later. |
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 Added some top soil to weight it down. There were some tree guys nearby who were probably wonder what I was doing. I could cover the whole thing up, but I figure this is good enough right? I had to work fast since it's like 95 F today. The stump I think is dead, but some weird looking vine stuff is growing out of it. The tall grass beyond the trees are not my property. It's actually owned by the association. There's a retention pond on the other side, so mow another 5 feet and I'll be underwater :-p . |
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| Great start but you might need more paper. I have learned to double or triple layer, because I'm usually smothering Vinca or other persistent weeds. They will come up through any crack. Are you going to do all the way up to the bricks? I wouldn't worry about the stump. Just pile up organics on top and garden around it. The organic matter will speed up the rotting of the stump. I've got large Oak stumps (ground down) and roots in my front garden, but you'd never know it. |
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| It appears it's going to be a challenge finding plants to fill this bed. This is what the bed looks like now after 6.9 inches of rain fell in one day.
While the area doesn't get flooded often, the area is underwater for a few days a few times a year. So basically I need plants that grow well in the shade and is tolerant of water. Currently, the plants on my list are: Swamp Milkweed Paul |
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| Depending on if it will be dry most of the time & wet just a few weeks of the year or if it will be moist during the growing season... You might be able to direct some of that water to a channel & plant on the higher sides of it to prevent drowning plants during the high water times. What grows well for me in the shaded moist woodland: grass like foliage: Acorus (sweet flag), various Carex like 'Ice Dance', Iris (I. foetidissima, Japanese Iris), common orange daylily Hosta Try looking at this swale garden creation with pics (uses rock to help control water & fill space) |
Here is a link that might be useful: bog plants
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