I want to put in a large raised planting bed in the back yard ~ right on top of the Bermuda Grass that's growing there. Digging up the grass isn't really an option, the space is too big.. and from what I've read, killing the grass is a long process - and a lot of work.
I know that weed control fabric won't work - the grass goes right through it. I was thinking of heavy black plastic, but am concerned about proper drainage.
Any recommendations for what I could use for a barrier between the grass and the beds?
I know that weed control fabric won't work - the grass goes right through it. I was thinking of heavy black plastic, but am concerned about proper drainage.
Any recommendations for what I could use for a barrier between the grass and the beds?
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Los Angeles
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Re: Raised vegetable bed over Bermuda Grass.
Tue, June 10, 2008 - 7:48 AMWhen we moved into our place our backyard was all bermuda grass. We have a very large yard. We've since irradicated almost all of it other than what's in the lawn. Our raised beds are right on top of former bermuda grass patches....did I mention that stuff is my bane? I hate it! Anyways, the landscape fabric seems to work really well for us. Just make sure it's the thick stuff and that it extends past the edges of the raised bed. For the rest of the yard that doesn't have raised beds, we rototilled it, pulled out the larger chunks of grass and then laid down the black plastic. I do admit that we have resorted to spot treating some of the bermuda grass that won't go away with weed killer because that stuff you can't just dig or pull out, esp. in clay soils. -
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Re: Raised vegetable bed over Bermuda Grass.
Tue, June 10, 2008 - 2:52 PMYep... I read the thread on your efforts to eradicate your Bermuda Grass. Glad to hear you were successful. I'm not even going to try and eradicate it.. there's too much of it in my neighborhood... and it doesn't care about property lines. I just want to keep it out of my vegetables.
I'm going to try several layers of weed control fabric that extend past the bed edges... and use pavers to hold it down... and also be an edge I can use when whacking back the lawn that is the beast.
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Re: Raised vegetable bed over Bermuda Grass.
Tue, June 10, 2008 - 2:59 PMcorn gluten has been shown to prevent new bermuda grass from gaining a footing in your garden. it isn't a "pre-emergent" but prevents development of feeder roots from newly germinated seeds.
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Re: Raised vegetable bed over Bermuda Grass.
Wed, June 11, 2008 - 9:45 AMBoiling water around the beds works well for me. True, it's kind of hard on the beneficial stuff, but this is WAR and there will be collateral damage...
You need a LOT of boiling water though, and it has to be really hot... I also dug down 2 feet on all my beds and screened out all that I could.
