A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 burlap or plastic under!

hi,

got a funny question:

next time i do my garden,is it better do put burlap or what should i put under my soil to prevent weeds,i m not sure if you get my drift,i m not good at being precise sometimes.

thank you!

Hey Franny

You don't want to put plastic under your soil if it's in your flower beds - it keeps light, air and water out and that's not good for your flowers I never thought about using burlap but that sounds like a good option since it will let the water and air through. They sell 'landscape fabric' made just for flower beds that you can use too

Is composting an option for you? You could put down cardboard and then build a lasagna bed to smother the grass/weeds and have a great bed next spring Then just cover with mulch, or even use compost to dress your beds. It will keep your soil crumbly and easy to pull any weeds that sneak in.

Hope that helps!

A cheap, easy fix (because black fabric is FAR from cheap) is to use newspaper. NO colored inks. Only black & white. It is bio-degradable & can be tilled into the soil each year.

Wet the soil & wet the paper (or the wind will take it). If for one season, use 3-5 sheets thick. If for a long-term bed, use 15-20 thick. Of course, this method requires a layer of mulch.

Burlap & plastic could be secured w/ sod staples. But, look better w/ a layer of mulch.

I have encountered all three and like newspaper best . The plastic is a reminder of the lack of knowledge the previous homeowner had and water can't penetrate . I like the landscaper fabric but it can be tough to cut through at a later date. The newspaper is equal in penetration strength for weed control to the fabric and it breaks down rapidly so digging is a breeze .
Good Luck!