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Sqare foot gardening Zone 2b
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Posted by rita_from_mb (My Page) on Mon, Feb 16, 09 at 2:50
| Hi, I'm new to the forum and new to Square Foot Gardening which is very popular in the states (have a look at the SFG forum). What about Canada? I'm trying my first one this spring, I'm going to follow Mel's advise in his All new Square foot gardening book pretty well to a T but I'm going to make my raised bed 8" instead of 6" and because of the quackgrass, I'm going to dig out 4"-5", put down some news paper/cardboard and landscape material before I put my Mel's soil mix in. Do you think that will be enough to keep the quackgrass out? Should I transplant red earth worms into my mix. I'll find them anyway if I dig out some sod? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Sqare foot gardening Zone 2b
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Hi Rita
I'm new to the form also but have been gardening for quite a few years already. I haven't done much starting plants from seed as I have recieved lots of plants from relatives and friends. I haven't read up on how you are "supposed" to put a raised bed in but have 2 that are a few years old now. I have never had any problem with quack grass coming through and mine are about the 8-10". I had alot of wild violets were I put my bed and am hoping that the amout of dirt put down first will keep it at bay. I also dug up most of the roots as a way of getting rid of them. I would think the newspaper/cardboard and dirt would do the trick. I put in alot of compost from the cattle mixed with other topsoil from close to the barn area to fill the beds.
Good luck gardening!
Kathy |
RE: Sqare foot gardening Zone 2b
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| Thanks Kathy, you know I hate this quackgrass stuff, don't hear much about it, hear alot about crabgrass but I think there is nothing more wicked than QUACKgrass. You can dig it up for meters and see new little plants at every root node. I gave up my first garden because I got tired of pulling the stuff out. I'm going to try again this spring. I'm also going to try some scarlet runner beans up a trellis or net support. I'd like to hear people's experience with that. Here's to greener thumbs, Rita |
RE: Sqare foot gardening Zone 2b
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| Rita, it sounds like you have done your homework and have a good undrstanding of what you are doing. I thought I would suggest you do a search on "lasagne beds" on this web site. It will help put your fears to rest as to getting rid of Quackgrass.It's basically what you described, and it does work. I read up on it and ended up doing 6 LB in my yard, This will be the 3rd year, I have perennials and annuals in them. I planted in them as soon as they were complete. I even did one to get rid of morning glory weeds we have here, I seeded grass on the LB and it is the only area in my lawn that doesn't have MG weeds. Happy Gardening, |
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