Beginner Gardening: Using newspaper and mulch to prepare areas?, 0 by purpleinopp

purpleinopp wrote:
Kantzklan, I totally agree - don't work hard work smart! There shouldn't be grass to deal with every year though. Killing grass should be a one-time thing at first. What do you think is going on?

I took this pic to show the river that's developed in our yard when it rains now. But it also shows a new bed I started a few months ago by laying cardboard, landscape timbers along the edges, have been filling it with leaves, small yard trimmings, and grass from the mower bag. I did dig out some grass in the middle to go ahead and plant a tiny tree, and a couple Oriental lily bulbs, but don't plan to disturb this at all until spring. If I do, the grass may not be dead and continue growing if I give it space and light.

If one has rhizomatous (creeping) grass like we do here, it's also a good idea to slice around the edges with a straight shovel when getting started, to sever the connections between the grass being smothered and that which surrounds it. While connected to the still-growing parts, some grasses can stay alive under a smother for a LOOOONG time. By spring, there won't be much left of the organic matter on top, and I will spread whatever is there evenly, install plants, top with more mulch/leaves/grass.

Unless somebody else is going to dig up the grass, I'll never start a new bed any other way. This is sooo much easier, and you don't lose any top soil. The killed grass contributes to the tilth/fertility of the area. It's a win all the way around.

This message was edited Aug 16, 2013 8:09 AM