So, I decided that after this growing season is over, I would pull everything out and give the beds and myself a break for a year or two or whatever time it takes until I can get back to gardening on a more active schedule. Plus I am hoping the kid(s) will be better able to "help" or "work" in the garden by that time.

My soil is very good, organic, with compost that we made over the years.

I tried to keep it organic over the years and want to stick to that if possible. I need a plan to prevent weeds to take over. I am thinking to pile lots of chopped leaves over the beds, and then cover them with black plastic (staple it to the wood frames). What should I do with herbs? I thought about cutting holes in the plastic for the herbs to continue to grow.

Do you have any Thoughts? Suggestions? Encouragement? Thanks!!

Lloyd

My next door neighbor has a large, very old garden plot that I used to use as that's where the sun is. Since I stopped when it became too much to care for, he has had a succession of people taking the spaces over the years. It's interesting to watch, and I'm amazed at how many people drive or bike out of their way to play in the dirt.

Very few have been as neat and tidy as I would be willing to have in my yard. The worst are the young gals that work like mad the first weekend of spring, then rarely return.
The majority do better but seem unaware the plants need water more than once every few weeks. I can't help myself sometimes and regularly put my hose nozzle on center, rather than shower, as I take pity on wilting tomato plants in my line of sight. Then there are the good gardeners too. It's great fun to chat and watch the as the seasons progress.

If you want to cover the beds, I would find a good garden store ( not a big box store with a garden area) and locate the high quality weed block fabric. It's the fabric commercial nurseries use between rows, and it's good, sturdy, long wearing stuff. It's designed to be driven on by their forklifts, so you know it's not the junk that's commonly sold to home gardeners. A good local garden store should have it for sale by the yard, so while it's an investment, you can reuse it for years and years. The parts of my work area I covered probably 20 years ago is still is good shape, though that is on the north side of the house. I have used, pulled up, stored, then reused several other pieces too, and while pulling up is tough if it's been down for years and roots are woven though it, I just set the chunk aside and let it age, and the roots eventually come loose. It would be a nice between rows foot path area later, or where ever you need a little cheat.

It's held down with ground staples ( cheap and sold where the ground cloth is) and will not disintegrate and look bad like plastic would.

I agree with you jolly, our priorities shift over the years, and time with a baby is always more important. The garden will be there when you return, just hopefully not with thug weeds. You have the right idea. :)

Of the herbs, I would mulch around them and use them as much as you can. The mint, chives and sage don't need much maintenance so they should last til you get back into the swing of things. As for the others, use them as long as they last.
Best of luck.

There are a number of grains that can be seeded for a summer cover crop, Buckwheat is one, and they can be followed by a winter cover crop, such as Field, Winter, Cereal Rye to be cut or turned in in the spring. These will help keep the soil you have in place and stop the wind from blowing it away as well as adding more organic matter to that soil.

I would cover the beds with cardboard, add the leaves on top and call it good. You mentioned that you had made compost. You could also use the beds as compost bins. I'm thinking like a lasagna garden sort of thing.

I'm having similar thoughts about the garden because of the horrible heat and drought. It's hardly worth the time, water and heartache. What I have been able to keep going so far this year - tomatoes, peppers and sweet potatoes - have just been mowed down by the deer. Apparently they were the only edible things left in the neighborhood. :-\

Quote:
never with landscape fabric which according to an article that appeared in a recent Fine Gardening magazine article is a bad for soil as plastic

Reply:
Their claim is that weed block stops water and air. So apparently some of the home improvement store type weed blocks must do that. I was very disappointed in that article. They totally missed the boat. They could have compare brands, or if that was a financial problem, they could easily have explained the different types of weed block and what types to avoid, and possible alternatives. But instead they made a only party true blanket statement. Quite misleading. They had the opportunity to do an interesting article there.

I think this is another of those things that's going to vary depending on each individuals garden. For me, piled leaves would blow directly south first storm. I also have tough, flat leaves that knit into solid, waterproof layers ( thus my interest in this forum long ago, and still looking for options).

For me, a layer of bark/wood chips would not only become a weed meadow, due to weed seeds blowing in and catching on the textured surface,plus the whole thing would become the neighborhood cat liter box. Cats very much prefer a lighter, well drained, thus dryer texture to dig in. Once they make a choice, they return..time after time.
... pee-ewww ...

Sigh.. Fine Gardening used to be a great publication. I took time off from gardening and see the magazine is now changed a lot! It seems to be written for a much less experienced readership. Sign of the times I guess.I noticed Horticulture has changed in a similar fashion. That's nice for garden beginners, but we old timers have nothing commonly available anymore. :(

It keeps the weeding to a minimum, the veggies/herbs taste the same, and actually seems too lower overall insect pressure (we do organic).

It probably does matter what type of a landscape fabric is used though - ours lets in a small amount of moisture and does breathe.

Even in 100 degree heat/drought in MI recently the fabric didn't hurt the plants. We cut 5"-10" diameter holes (depending on the plant being put into it).

We've grown everything from Zucchini, Tomato, Herbs, Peppers, Eggplant, etc. this way in raised beds and it worked great.

Just make sure it isn't the real expensive weed barrier stuff that is similar to plastic and non-porous.

It took a little work to rehabilitate the beds this year, but the soil is in the best shape I've ever seen it. I removed all the mulch and put it into the compost bins. The old mulch, now compost material, heated right up, even the shredded leaves, which had been through two heating cycles already.

Everything growing in those beds that had been mulched for two years is growing well; corn, beans, tomatoes, melons, peppers. The only significant weed that I deal with is bindweed/morning glory.

I say bury the beds in as much mulch as you can get, especially shredded leaves, if possible. I had about a very deep pile of shredded leaves on one bed, two to three feet. Plan on making a lot of compost when that mulch comes off.

I would use clover. Helps the soil and bees love it.

I had used some chipped/shredded pine straw under my blueberries three years ago. That stuff is almost gone now. Only the wood chips are still recognizable.

Next we need to replant the hops to a better/sunnier spot.

Now on to the empty beds. I think I will do clover/compost cover crop since I have the seeds.

There is a guy in our are who does tree service - I have to inquire if he might be able to bring a large volume of wood chips in one load.