The Two Most Important Tips for Your Flower Beds

 

Edging is the Most Important Task

Starting a new flower bed or sprucing up an existing one: Not only does edging your flower beds create a visual barrier between the lawn and the garden, as well as cuts down the required maintenance required to keep that crisp look.

Once the grass from your lawn has invaded your flower bed, it is very challenging for gardeners to get rid of the grass without killing the ornamental plants as collateral damage. Digging or pulling up grass and weeds is a laborious task and not very feasible. Thus, the best method is prevention—preventing grass from ever-growing in the nutrient-rich gardening soil in the first place.

To prevent grass from invading your flower bed, it is imperative then, that the edging be inserted deep enough into the ground to block these roots from growing under the grass barrier. It also must block any germination underneath the flower bed and sprouting up above ground.

Read more:

https://grassbarrier.com/blogs/grass-barrier-blog/edging-for-flower-beds-that-is-attractive-and-functional

https://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2012/07/how-to-edge-flower-beds-like-pro.html

Never, Ever Use Landscape “Fabric”

Landscape fabric contains petroleum and other chemicals that can compromise the growth of your flowers and shrubs.

Contrary to what sellers of plastic fabric are telling, only a very small fraction of weeds are in the ground, many weeds are in the soil of plants you are purchasing, or contains in garden soil or mulch. Most weed seeds are flying through the air, are distributed by pouring rain, or are spread by birds into garden beds. 

There is no need to use any fabric if you mulch thoroughly. Mulch will do the trick, but most people don’t put it on thick enough. The plastic fabric is contra-productive as it holds the roots of weeds or grass, so they cannot be totally removed and will re-grow. 

Healthy soil is crumbly and loose. Loose soil allows for nutrients, water, and even air to reach down in the soil and help plants to grow. Underneath the landscape fabric, the soil becomes hard and compact. 

Last but not least: We all should try to avoid any plastic at all in order to save our environment and the planet!

If you really want to create a barrier - thick layers of newspaper sheets or brown cardboard (remove all stickers and tape!) are a much better solution - apply before you add a thick layer of mulch.

Read more:

https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/12-easy-ways-to-reduce-plastic-in-the-garden/

https://www.yourgreenpal.com/blog/6-reasons-why-landscape-fabric-is-a-bad-idea

https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/2019/04/30/why-plastic-landscape-fabric-is-actually-bad-for-your-plants-and-the-soil/

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Five Reasons NOT to Use Landscape Fabric

 

Seed- and gardening specialist Barbara Schaefer wrote in her latest blog:
"When you buy an old property, you are full of ideas and visions of what it might have been, and what it could become under your care.  My gardener’s brain was flooded with the possibilities.  Gorgeous shrubs, lush peonies, irises, lilies, tulips, maybe a little tree.  A vision of loveliness…  I thought, with persistence and determination I can turn this garden into an oasis. 

Lying in wait for me under thick layers of grass and weeds was landscape fabric in varying degrees of disintegration.  If you have ever encountered this, then you know what’s coming:  Slow and back-breaking work.  The landscape fabric was steadfastly intertwined with both the weeds and the plant roots that I wanted to salvage."

Landscape Fabric — Use at Your Peril

"Originally developed for agricultural use in crop production as an alternative to herbicides, it is considered a ‘synthetic mulch’, a non-chemical weed control.  With its great success in agriculture (think long rows of healthy vegetables poking through the black fabric), it attracted the attention of landscape designers.   

Some thought it could be used as a non-biodegradable, permanent solution to weed control in vast landscape projects, allowing water and air to flow through, but not the sunlight, thereby preventing weed germination. Or so they thought…"

Five Reasons NOT to Use Landscape Fabric: 

Read more: https://gardensbybarby.ca/evolution-of-a-garden/

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