I would appreciate any comments on this plan to

control weeds around my raised beds.

I live in So. California and have raised beds in my

garden. I have waged a constant and losing battle

with crab grass growing in the areas between the

beds. I don't want to use chemicals and get sick

and tired of pulling the damn stuff, it is very

tough and hard to pull.

At one point I covered the entire area with

plywood. That worked well, and looked nice, for a

couple of years until the plywood started to

deteriorate and compost into the ground. The grass

grew right through it.

So here's my plan. I am going to cut the grass down as short as I can
get it, then cover it with heavy duty plastic, like painters' tarpaulin,
and then cover that with about three inches of bark chips.


I am sure this will work in the short run. But,

will it work in the long run? One thinkg I am

concerned about is water collecting on top of the

plastic. So I intend to puncture the plastic in

many places using a pitch fork to allow drainage.

What do you think? Is there something I am not taking into consideration
here? Will this last? Thanks for your attention.

Minus