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njbiology

Layer of newspaper vs weed fabric vs cardboard beneath seedbed?

njbiology
9 years ago

Hi,

I'd like to hear different opinions as to whether I should use news paper, or weed fabric, or cardboard as underlay in the following situation:

I built a raised-frame seedbed for the purpose of sowing wildflower seeds; they will be grown there for a season under better controlled conditions, prior to being planted out.

I took a section of ground (23' x 6') and using wood planks, built a frame so that I can pour in about 2 to 3 inches of clean (weed-free) composted garden soil as the substrate for my wildflower seeds. I weeded away nearly all of the pre-existing perennial and annual plant vegetation; a few perennial grasses and such do remain under ground, ready to re-sprout in the upcoming spring.

Newspaper...
I'd just like to surpress the growth of any resprouting vegetation and the germination of any weed seeds that are in the soil long-enough for the wildflower seeds above to germinate and being to thrive. By that time, the surpressed vegatation should have died off and the weed seeds will be 2 to 3 inches under the soil, so being deprived of light and missing the spring, they will not be a problem -- I'd hope. They will be delayed behind the newly germinated wildflower, at least, if they do germinate once the news paper rots. The wildflowers' roots can go down after a few months of growth-- maybe the paper will have decayed by the summer -- the flowers' roots will penetrate hrough the newspaper, but the weedseeds and pre-existing vegetation would able to go up.

Cardboard...
I have plenty of available cardboard. The problem I see with this solution is I'd be concerned that the cardboard would not rot fast enough -- would it? The seed bed will receive plenty of water, so maybe it would.

Cheap quality weed fabric...
I prefer this best as it will be a lift-able barrier that I could LATER use in transporting the seedlings away. It will make retrieving them much easier. The roots can go down and I think it should last a season. I also have weed fabric.

Which is best?

Thanks!

Comments (2)

  • pinusresinosa
    9 years ago

    I think that lifting weed fabric that's underneath rooted plants could either be a great thing, or be disastrous. If the roost grow into the fabric (as they often do), you'd be ripping root systems apart as you lift the fabric. If roots don't penetrate, the fabric will hinder root growth and plant growth in turn. ;The fabric will also prevent some amount of GOOD critter action among the roots too, although this might not be that big of an issue for you. Also, if you have "wildflowers" that like to send down fast and deep taproots, this barrier will not be good. Nor will you have great luck transplanting them. :P

    I use a lot of cardboard, newspaper, and even paper grocery shopping bags as a method of creating new beds primarily. Thinner paper material is good in areas where it's more dry and the breakdown of organic material happens slower (like on hot dry sunny slopes and in a new rock garden, for example). I use cardboard where stuff happens faster, and in my yard cardboard is about the right thickness and has the right "stuff" to quell weeds while breaking down fast enough to allow the plants on top to establish happily.

    A good recipe for a fast and beautiful bed without a lot of work or worry:
    - a space that's about 10x10 feet in size or so
    - about 100 paper grocery bags
    - about a cubic yard of good compost
    -a roll of black landscape plastic or a bunch of black garbage bags
    - one order of a great seed mix

    This time of year, you mark your space, put down paper bags on the ground, wet them with a hose, then layer over about 6 inches of compost. Wet really well, then lay black plastic or plastic garbage bags over the top and let it sit over the winter. Then in the spring, pull back the plastic, seed it, and keep it watered. Viola, a new flower bed!

    Here is a link that might be useful: An Awesome Wildflower Mix

  • SouthCountryGuy Zone 4b-5 SE BC
    9 years ago

    I have yet to find a good use for landscape fabric. It even takes up useful space at the dump.

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