I've gardened before of course, but not where I'm going to begin living this Spring. My new place has never been gardened. It's wild and weedy for sure. Anyway, last fall I laid cardboard down over where I intend to plant. I may even leave it there and just shovel good dirt over it and plant on top of that. This should shorten the time it takes to convice most weeds to give it up. I will haul in some old downed trees (popples)to "frame" the gardening areas and make raised beds. Any ideas? Sound like it would work?

-- Susan in Northern LP Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), February 24, 2002

Answers

Susan,, if your not going to plant veggies in there,, then do a ground cover,, clover,, buckwheat,, ect,, and WHEN you do come up,, just till it under evry time, it'll add vital nutrients :)

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 24, 2002.

Susan, if you are making raised beds, you do not have to worry about the surface weeds; the dirt will kill them.

If you are just going to surface plant, my local radio garden expert recommends using Roundup 2 - 3 weeks before planting. It will kill eveything and be neutralized by the time you plant.

Do you have access to a rototiller to dig up the dirt?

-- John (JOHNTL@MTN.ORG), February 24, 2002.