1) Wait until spring to plant seeds. Many people winter sow the milkweed & transplant out. The winter sow forum has more details about how to do it.

2) Yes, burlap should work as well as cardboard if you have at least 2 layers. Be sure to overlap & wet down well. Then wet each layer again unless you live in a rainy climate at present when building the bed. When I make these beds as I gather materials in the fall through spring I rarely water them because we have a lot of rain.

Persistent perennial weeds may still need removal, but will be easier in spring to do so in the loose soil. We have dandelion, creeping buttercup, and plantain that come out with a bit of determination after making a lasagna garden. If the soil is dry they just break up & you can't get the root out all the way, so they grow back.

Then... after the bed is made & you planted your seeds or transplants ... to prevent the weeds from returning you need to mulch and maintain it. Removal of weedy areas or at least the weed seed heads around the garden bed helps, too.

g'day adidas,

we invite you to read our presentation:

we never weed and we never dig.

Here is a link that might be useful: lens straw bale garden

:)

"we never weed and we never dig"

me too, len. I just finished burying a pan full of vegetable peelings in a bed I am starting for next season. We have had a wet fall which means grass clippings and fall leaves mowed together. woohoo! I should have a good heap of greens and browns before Christmas.

Its good to see you. I hope you are well.

jc

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