Mark wrote:
The fabric is black (cutting off light to the plants
underneathe)

Is it really the fabric or the thick plastic (like for heavy duty
gabage cans) will work also?


I would imagine the plastic would not only kill the grass, but a lot of
the (beneficial) insects that live in that area and are helpful to the
plants. Putting plastic down solarizes the area underneathe. It's
helpful to do that on beds where you suspect harmful insects or weeds
reside before you plant. If you only want to control the grass (and
weeds), then fabric is what you need. It works by simply blocking the
light. Rain can still get through which wouldn't be possible with
plastic (and you'd run into puddle/river/standing water problems with
the plastic).

If you go just for mulch, 4 inches would be the best. If you put the
fabric under the mulch, you can get away with just enough to comfortably
cover the fabric.

..

Zone 5a in Canada's Windy Far East


cloud dreamer wrote:

Mark wrote:


This is probably the stupid question, but I am new in gardening, so
this is why I am asking this question.
I have planted vegetable garden. Garden is on the slope. Plants
(tomatoes, corn, cucumbers,etc,etc,) are planted not in terraces but
such that it looks like in containers. But in reality it is just the
container without the bottom.
Anyway, when I started it I have made a mistake. I have turned over all
the soil. In some places I have removed old vegetation from previous
year. But in some I was lazy and just turned it over. so, now there is
grass came up in the places between containers. This is ugly and makes
it difficult to grow my vegetables.
How can I get rid of the grass between containers without using
chemicals and at the same time spending as little labor as possible?
Not only the garden is on the slope, but there is a plastic dripping
tubing system that makes it difficult to walk there?



Try some landscape fabric. Buy a 20 or 25 year type which is thick and
will last a while. The fabric is black (cutting off light to the plants
underneathe) and comes in rolls that are three or four feet wide. Just
place it anywhere that weeds and grass are a problem among your plants.
You can cut it to fit...even right up to the base of your corn if
necessary.

If you walk on the area, you can put a layer of mulch on the fabric.
Looks good and is functional.

..

MMVIII