# How to Stop Weeds Between Raised Beds?



## MoonRiver

Several years ago I put in about 20 raised beds in my garden. I put down landscape cloth in between beds and covered with mulch. For the 1st couple of years, this worked well. The garden was very workable and very attractive. 

Then weeds started growing on top of the landscape cloth in the mulch. This year, the weeds won. I just couldn't keep up with them. No problem keeping the weeds in the beds under control, but the rest of the garden became a jungle. I couldn't till unless I first removed the landscape cloth.

I'm in the process of replacing the old beds made from pine with some of cedar and some of cinder block. I need some ideas on what I can do to prevent weeds from growing between the beds. I plan on reworking the entire garden and making it more attractive as well as more efficient.

One idea is to give up and just leave enough space between the beds to run the lawnmower, but I would rather a workless solution. I don't want to have to mow the garden every week if there is a better solution. The total sq ft of the garden is about 2000 sq ft.

Ideas?


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## dirtman

I'd like to find a place where they were tearing out old indoor-outdoor carpeting and lay that between my raised beds. barring that I just take a flat bladed shovel and skim off the weeds and about an inch or so of the sand I have between the beds and just replace it when it gets down too far.


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## geo in mi

MoonRiver said:


> but I would rather find a workless solution.
> 
> Ideas?


Hmmm....workless???? Maybe concrete or asphalt. Remember that your raised bed aisles would have been the space in between the rows that you would have had to hoe every year. And re-doing the fabric( or concrete) would be considered "work" too. There are no magic bullets.  I, personally, would opt for the lawnmower and a weed whacker. Get some grass and maybe white clover going and then turn some of that work into useable compost.

geo


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## MoonRiver

geo in mi said:


> Hmmm....workless???? Maybe concrete or asphalt. Remember that your raised bed aisles would have been the space in between the rows that you would have had to hoe every year. And re-doing the fabric( or concrete) would be considered "work" too. There are no magic bullets.  I, personally, would opt for the lawnmower and a weed whacker. Get some grass and maybe white clover going and then turn some of that work into useable compost.
> 
> geo


I should have said "work less". I know any solution will involve some work. I just want less work, not more work.


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## K.B.

A couple layers of plastic sheeting followed by 3-4 inches of driveway gravel would probably do the trick.

Organic matter and water in the paths (broken down mulch and run-off from the beds) is likely what is giving your weeds an ideal spot to grow. 

I just have gravel that has been sifted from our rocky soil in the paths between beds and it works well for us. Some weeds grow during the wet season (Nov-May), but not much of anything during the dry season.


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## MoonRiver

K.B. said:


> A couple layers of plastic sheeting followed by 3-4 inches of driveway gravel would probably do the trick.
> 
> Organic matter and water in the paths (broken down mulch and run-off from the beds) is likely what is giving your weeds an ideal spot to grow.
> 
> I just have gravel that has been sifted from our rocky soil in the paths between beds and it works well for us. Some weeds grow during the wet season (Nov-May), but not much of anything during the dry season.


I don't want to put down gravel because a future owner may decide to just till the entire space as a garden and not use raised beds. I might be able to do something similar by just using landscape cloth and pins with no gravel.


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## COSunflower

I have used plastic, landscape cloth with pins, pea gravel and bark dust on top of newspaper etc. over the past few years and NOTHING works more than a year or two for me.  I'm down to just weed whacking now.


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## jwal10

I think you had the right idea to begin with, just needed to pull a few weeds and add chips every year. Larger chips last longer. Dig out what is there and put down new fabric and new mulch. Add what you remove to the beds after a good compost. If you don't mind spraying, do that, add new fabric over old mulch and new chips....James


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## Breezy

We tried the carpet idea. The jute backing broke down and I had red shag everywhere. Uggh, what a mess. Even so, not quite as unsightly as it had been in the house! The newer carpet wears out differently...I'm cautious about using it.

We now put down cardboard with chips over it. I do have to weed it.


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## Guest

Plywood.


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## puddlejumper007

yep been using my weedwacker, so much rain here the weeds went wild


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## joe&katie

I smother the area with several layers of newspaper and/or cardboard, and then top with pine bark mulch. A fairly thin layer of mulch works bette rthan a thick layer. thick mulch gives weed seeds more chance to take root. Then, just weed or spray with vinegar occasionally. Landscape fabric seems to me to be a real pain, the weeds grow through it, then you have a mess trying to get it back up to replace it. The newspaper/cardboard breaks down over time, and worms love it, so it actually helps with the soil.

Edited to add: I like natural pine bark mulch because it has a chemical in it that inhibits stuff growing. In the deep south, you will see nothing but sand under pine trees. I wouldn't use any of that dyed/painted mulch around veg especially.


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## Callieslamb

I have a propane torch that does a good job of combating weeds. It will also roast your tomatoes and peppers while they are still on the plant if you aren't careful. It's the only thing I use to weed large areas now.

Anything you lay down as a mulch will eventually get full of weeds - at least it has for me. I no longer use mulch in my paths. I used to weed whack my paths or (gasp) use Round-up. As you work in your garden dirt falls into the mulch. Leaves and plants fall there and decompose into soil...and then the weeds grow. Either add more mulch every year (and eventually your paths will have as good of soil as your bed) or use concrete. 

Please, please do not use gravel. It will get full of dirt and decomposing plants eventually too. And then you won't be able to get it out without spraying. The previous owners of our house graveled all the flower beds and foundation plantings around the house. It's horrible to work in and around or to try to plant something new in there. And it doesn't keep the weeds out after a few years.


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## Melissa

We just run the push-mower between ours and weedeat the edges. We don't do it every time we mow, can usually get away with every other time. Everything else just becomes a big mess...


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## MoonRiver

Thanks everyone. Mowing it will be.


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## wildcat6

I have two different ways of tackling the weeds. In the spring I use a propane torch and burn in between the beds. Then I make my own weed killer using a gallon of 10% vinegar, tablespoon or orange oil, and a tablespoon of dishwashing soap. Works pretty good and is cheap to make.


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