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Easy Flower Bed Cont.
The second technique is great if you have a long time line for actually completing the bed such as when you are preparing a bed in the fall for spring planting or you want to leave the bed at ground level. For this procedure, you will cover the dampened and trod on newspapers with woven weed barrier. These are to be laid in long overlapping pieces. You will probably need someone to assist you with this step in order to keep the weed barrier in place by using something heavy, such as bricks or rocks which should be placed at various intervals. Another option is using biodegradable stakes, which are usually available where ever you buy the weed barrier. Be aware that biodegradable stakes are easily broken when being driven into the ground, so take your time when driving them into the ground. After the bed has been covered with the newspapers, weed barrier and secured, you now cover the weed barrier with either an organic mulch, pine straw or hay to also prevent the wind from blowing the weed barrier away. Water heavily again and walk around to compact the layer. You are now finished with the preparation. Now you rest while you let the weed barrier and sun smother any grass, weeds or weed seeds underneath the various layers. In as little as 1 or 2 months you can remove the weed barrier and newspapers and your bed will be ready for planting with little more preparation on your part. Just add compost, lightly till if desired and begin planting.
On a side note, newspapers are great for controlling weeds in your garden anytime and are biodegradable. If you have an area that is hard to get to or where weeds seem to grow, under a bird feeder is an example, add a thick layer of newspaper and cover it with mulch in the spring and the area will be weed free. If you are just too tired to weed or it is during the heat of summer, you can lay newspapers over the area, ensuring you do not to cover any desirable flowers or vegetables, and then add a layer of compost on top of the dampened newspapers to smother the weeds.
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