Smothering the Weeds
Cardboard is my new best friend. Back in November I mentioned how I was using cardboard and newsprint as the first layer of my new garden beds. The second layer was 5" of damp, decomposing yard and food scraps.
I am now learning how wonderfully simple it is to use cardboard in conjunction with wood chips to create weed-free areas in my yard.
Round-up or other chemicals not required.
Cardboard and newspaper are free, natural, and biodegradable.
Here's how its done:
1) Get lots of cardboard or newspapers (no glossy inserts). Ask around at local business, or sometimes I have seen used boxes listed as a free item on Craigslist.
2) Lay cardboard over the area that you want weed-free. Place it directly over the weeds, overlapping the pieces of cardboard by at least 6". If you are using newspaper, be liberal--at least 1/4" thick.
3) Get a hold of a lot of wood chips. In the wake of January's windstorm, wood chips are plentiful these days. One of the easiest way of getting a hold of some is to call up a tree trimming company and be friendly. Or, if you see a tree trimming crew with a truck and a wood chipper in your neighborhood, ask if they would be willing to divert their load to your driveway. Chances are pretty good you can find some for free. Any wood chips will do, though it has been suggested that eucalyptus, sycamore, and redwood be avoided near vegetable gardens, though using them near established perennial plants is fine.
4) Pile the wood chips on the cardboard 4-6" deep.
That's it.
The cardboard will act as a barrier to the weeds until it decomposes, but the time this happens most weed seeds beneath the cardboard will have lost their viability. Above the cardboard, the wood chips are a weed-free environment, and windblown seeds will have a tough time growing among the chips (and the ones that do are easy to pull up). I would wager that the area so treated will remain weed-free for at least 3 years, probably longer.
Check back with me in February, 2011.