Think about laying down some cardboard under the beds as well. It will help smother better than just the landscape fabric. However, I don't know anthing about those creeping weeds, so I don't know how invasive they are, or if the cardboard would be enough.

I second the cardboard. Actually, I'd put a couple layers of cardboard to block the weeds and skip the landscape fabric. That way, the cardboard should smother the weeds before it breaks down but you're not stopping earthworms from travelling into and out of your bed. I had landscape fabric under the mulch in my paths and found many dead worms tangled into the fibers of the fabric.

greenbean08, thanks for the tip on the fabric! Had not heard of such a thing but it makes sense.

Lois,
There are different grades of landscaping fabric, and I use the professional grade for my beds. It has a web-like appearance, and isn't as dark black as the most commonly used stuff. After 2 years in service, no weed has penetrated the bed - even the crabgrass surrounding it. Even with the weeds stopped, wind-borne weed seeds will still find your bed. However, they are less aggressive types - that are easily dealt with.

EG

Cardboard really kept the weeds down in my new garden, and after a year, most of it is gone. The worms loved it. Some weeds were really pernicious and made it through, so in the future I will use two layers of cardboard.

For weeds that did come up through, I found that spraying pickling vinegar on them really shut them down.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Within a couple of weeks after filling the bed, it came a huge rain. I counted at least 15 worms on top of the brand new, completely storebought Mel's mix components. The myth that worms can't get into the bed is complete hogwash.

* I, in no way intended to negatively address Greenbean's thoughts, or respond in an aggressive way. Greenbean is my friend, and I'm only stating a fact. :-)

EG

I know that cardboard is great worm food and disappears after a year or so, but I might need something that does not disappear. That sheep sorrel that I mentioned has no problem at all growing under the thick layer of newspaper and mulch I put down and popping up 3 feet away on the other side of the newspaper. That means that under the newspaper is a huge tangled mass of weed roots. Which is why I am thinking of putting a raised bed over the top of the weeds because I obviously can't plant anything in the ground with those weeds.

Windblown and bird-sown weed seeds are not a problem. I can mulch the raised bed and easily nab the one or 2 weed seeds that still manage to germinate thru the mulch.

BTW, worms are amazing creatures.. I've found them in pots on a deck that's 2 feet or more above ground level. No earthly (pun, sorry) clue how they got there.

EG, how do you place your landscape fabric? Do you cut it to fit the bottom of the raised bed? Do you extend it up the inside walls of the raised bed?

Thanks,

Lois in PA

Lois - since my main bed (4x25 ft) is 4 feet wide, I purchased the 6ft x 50ft roll of professional landscaping fabric at lowes, laid it in the bottom - then stapled the excess up the sides of the interior. I have about 6-8 runners from the crabgrass underneath that try to peak out of small cracks between the fabric and the box, but just keep them pulled. No biggie. I'll eventually add more staples in those areas, and that minor problem will be solved.

EG

No worries EG, differing points of view are allowed :-)

I don't have fabric under my beds, so my take on the fabric stopping worms was only a guess. I did find a lot tangled up in the fabric though. Worms were such a rarity in my yard, I really try to keep them all alive.

I've got a few pumpkins to feed my little wormy friends again this winter (except I'm removing the seeds first this time, the sprouts were a little crazy last year).