Help with raised beds and preventing weeds/bermuda grass...

[Ima Googler]

I'm thinking of building some raised garden beds, about 12 inches deep.
Does anyone know if that is deep enough to discourage the bermuda
grass and other weeds from creeping in?

I plan on putting down a few layers of brown paper bags and newspaper
so hopefully that will help too. Any other suggestions on keeping the
invasive grass out of my raised beds? (Or is it a lost cause and I
just need to get used to pulling the bermuda runners?)

[JoeSpareBedroom]

"Ima Googler" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> I'm thinking of building some raised garden beds, about 12 inches deep.
> Does anyone know if that is deep enough to discourage the bermuda
> grass and other weeds from creeping in?
>
> I plan on putting down a few layers of brown paper bags and newspaper
> so hopefully that will help too. Any other suggestions on keeping the
> invasive grass out of my raised beds? (Or is it a lost cause and I
> just need to get used to pulling the bermuda runners?)
>

Doesn't really matter if you get rid of one weed because there will always
be another. Always. Maybe you don't really want to garden?

[LT]

I have raised beds but mine are 24" high. I put down layers of
newspaper. I think eight pages is enough. Around the outside on the
ground I did spray some crabgrass killer.

-Laura

Ima Googler wrote:
> I'm thinking of building some raised garden beds, about 12 inches deep.
> Does anyone know if that is deep enough to discourage the bermuda
> grass and other weeds from creeping in?
>
> I plan on putting down a few layers of brown paper bags and newspaper
> so hopefully that will help too. Any other suggestions on keeping the
> invasive grass out of my raised beds? (Or is it a lost cause and I
> just need to get used to pulling the bermuda runners?)

[George.com]

"Ima Googler" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> I'm thinking of building some raised garden beds, about 12 inches deep.
> Does anyone know if that is deep enough to discourage the bermuda
> grass and other weeds from creeping in?
>
> I plan on putting down a few layers of brown paper bags and newspaper
> so hopefully that will help too. Any other suggestions on keeping the
> invasive grass out of my raised beds? (Or is it a lost cause and I
> just need to get used to pulling the bermuda runners?)

300 mills should be fine to stop stuff poking through. Anything that does
make it up from ground level will take a long time and have a struggle. The
very odd weed may come through but I think it highly unlikely. More likely
you will have problems with growth coming in from the side.

rob

[gardenlen]

g'day ima googler,

lay newspaper down first then the medium and mulch. the newspaper can
be laid as thick as you like generally i use between say 24 sheets to
40 sheets depending on type of grass i need to control.

we my site on the building a garden page for ideas on how i do it, and
also visit the blog section of this site for pics and ideas of my
latest project:

<http://ausgarden.com/>



snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.gardenlen.com

[Ima Googler]

Thanks for the replies everyone! (well, almost everyone ;-)

I got my four 4X4 beds built today... I started digging out all the
grass and never realized how much work that was going to be. LOL
Does the grass have to be dug out or can I just place my brown paper
bags and newspaper directly over the grass? If digging it out will
help prevent weeds/grass from coming up then I'll do it, but I think
some people just leave it the way it is.

If it matters, the beds are 12" deep.

[George.com]

"George.com" > wrote in message
...
> "Ima Googler" > wrote in message
> > Thanks for the replies everyone! (well, almost everyone ;-)
> >
> > I got my four 4X4 beds built today... I started digging out all the
> > grass and never realized how much work that was going to be. LOL
> > Does the grass have to be dug out or can I just place my brown paper
> > bags and newspaper directly over the grass? If digging it out will
> > help prevent weeds/grass from coming up then I'll do it, but I think
> > some people just leave it the way it is.
> >
> > If it matters, the beds are 12" deep.
>
> A good pictorial website for building a raised garden is here
> http://www.fbga.net/Lasagna%20gardening%202004.htm
>
> You will note they tip any old 'rubbish' in and are quite happy doing so.
I
> myself would not worry about peat moss or lime. I basically get what I can
> for free and use that. Whether you want to add fertiliser or not is your
> call, I prefer using free animal poop. If you put the garden together over
a
> day or 2 you will need a top layer of soil or good compost. If you throw
> things in over a space of months don't bother as the stuff will break down
> and likely create a good growing medium when it comes time to plant. If
you
> go scavaging you need not spend a $ at all. Call by your local green
grocer
> and grab their cast of veges. Scour local fields for spoiled hay (some
> ******* nabbed my supply I had been slowly whittling away so be quick).
Hit
> up local cafes for their waste coffee grounds. Start a compost bin at work
> for left over lunches and shredded paper. Asked neighbours for grass
> clippings or dead leaves. Over here local stables put their stable
scrapings
> in bags on the road side, free to take and full of horse poop. Local
> mushroom farms may give away mushroom compost. By the time you have bunged
> all of that in a 300 mill garden the grass will likely give up, especially
> if you cover it with thick cardboard (sourced free from an appliance store
> cardboard bin) rather than newspaper.

Len

on your blog (building the garden part 2) you noted
"now that i have been told not to use that recycled stuff from the dump"
what did you get from the dump and what was wrong with it?

I note you planted your garden (the small craters) after mulching it. It
seems you transplant pre grown plants rather than seed into the mushroom
compost? If seeds, I take it you have not mulched over the seeds.

Are you able to post a close up of the planting itself?

rob

ps I made the mistake of stumbling over your picture on your website. Don't
worry mind, I am feeling better now. You look a little like John Howard with
hair and a beard.

[gardenlen]

i don't do any digging just cover the grass with a good layer of
newspaper and away you go.



snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.gardenlen.com