I'm in Texas where bermuda grass comes out of the air, I do believe. In my experience, there has to be enough soil to VERY firmly hold down the cardboard or newspaper in order to kill bermuda grass. Also, take care to lap each section over the last one several inches or BM will put out shoots sideways and up between and continue to thrive. Just a thin layer of soil will not do the job.
I've used cardboard and newspaper to make about 100 feet of new raised beds and it has worked great. So much easier than trying to dig up BM and weeds to start a new bed because the BM always comes back unless there's a barrier.
paper mulch
if you use an attractive mulch, it can look quite tidy and neat, also, if that's a concern. But yes you do have to pile it on.
when i first moved here from the city i became friends with a guy who was born and raised here. he invited me to his house to see his garden. he had about a quarter acre size garden and it covered completely with news paper. he must have had it on pretty thick becuase there was no grass orweeds visibloe and he could walk all over the garden and not disturb the paper. he had a sprinkle system which wet the nespaper each time and he said it helped keep moisture to the plants.
How'd it look? Could it have been one of those: "You know you're a redneck if ......."? :~)))
Would roundup kill bermuda grass? I guess I can put up with multiple feet of snow if I don't have bermuda grass, at least I think so. I spent 4 hours digging out my driveway last night.
mary - i was simply amazed when he took me into his back yard. all i cold see were plants and newspapers. he grew everythng and he said he never buys vegetables in the store and his wife canned alot of the stuff. he had about 4 80 foot rows of celery for goodness sake. on the way home i told my wife that celery is so cheap in the supermaket why in the world would he grow so much. we still laugh about it today. of course this all took palce before i planted my first garden and now i see what he meant.
Helen, yes Roundup will kill bermuda.
Frank, that's pretty funny, even funnier that I know just what you mean!
Helen, my 2 cents worth -- I've not had resounding success killing bermuda grass with roundup; maybe I needed to respray but didn't.
Yes, more than one application is usually necessary. Good point tx_gardener. And Roundup only works when the air temp is at least 75°
"How'd it look? Could it have been one of those: "You know you're a redneck if ..."? :~)))"
Hey, hey, hey!
Kylaluaz, my husband was aghast at your front lawn. He does feel better knowing that he isn't the only one that has to put up with a lawn that looks that way. I think it's beautiful. My husband automatically pulls off the tape on any boxes that come it in mail now but it did take a lot of training. Our part time neighbor who is a tobacco farmer just stares blankly at our yard. Sometimes I hear his wife yelling "Now Ren, don't you go saying anything!" He always did think that Yankees were crazy now he is sure of it. I love him to bits anyway.
Keep collecting those papers and cardboard.
Helen
Jumping in here, hope that's okay. In the fall my DH and I go around and pick up the brown bags of leaves waiting on the curb for pick-up. He chops the leaves up while I layer the brown bags in the vegetable garden. I wet it down with a good soak, then he piles the chopped leaves on top. All winter I "compost" right into the leaves with kitchen wastes. My vegetable garden rarely has a weed, maybe a bit around the edges. I can dig down 6 or more inches with my hands every spring, everything is just a nice soft mulch by then. I have had a few melon seeds sprout but they come right out with a gentle tug.
Anything that will break down goes into my gardens, year round.
HI Cathy, Always ok to jump into a thread, it's all just conversation. Sounds like you have a good system going. I'm only in year two of gardening in this home so I still have a long way to go to attain your level of good soil. Thanks for the inspiration.
Helen, no insult intended, it's all good and I loved your funny neighbor story. Keep on!
Hi Mary, I know you were teasing. Since we come from CT we're not rednecks yet, but close. Well, DH has become a bit of one. Let's see, he got a truck ( Ren said you can't be southern if you don't have a truck). He has a boat in the front yard, put a dock in for fishing, had two toilets, fridge, and stove sitting on our deck. Found people down the hard top to take those. We are loving it here!
Helen
^_^
I put down cardboard and cover it with a thick bed of straw. Sure does keep the weeds down and the soil doesnt dry out as quickly.