Creating a Garden Bed

[rickrock1202]

Hi all, New to this forum but would love some advice from experienced gardeners. Hopefully this post is in the correct spot, if not please redirect me...

I plan on attempting some landscaping (brush, shrubs, and perennials) in front off my house in the northeast (CT). The area is about 15 feet by 5 feet and is currently grass. In order to create a bed with weed control I was thinking about this process:
1. Mowing the grass as short as possible
2. Putting about an inch of compost over the grass
3. Layering the compost with sheets of plain cardboard (then watering)
4. applying about 3" of mulch

Is this process acceptable or would I be better off tilling the area?

Thanks
Rick

[valley]

rick, You want rid of the grass? I think I would want to get as much of that grass and it's roots up and out of the bed to be. I wouldn't water that would just encourage it. If you don't want to cover it with black plastic to kill the grass, It's a small area. I would dig it out turn it over and thump it with the shovel, and shake and throw the grass roots and all out. You can till if you want and set your bushes and shrubs.

You still have some grass pop up here and there and you can spot them with Round up. When you through out the weed you've killed with Round up. Nothing will remain in the bed.

If you till before you get as much of the grass out as you can you'll have planted a new lawn, all the bits of grass roots that will start growing when you water.

Have fun with it, tell us what you do, pictures are nice.

Richard

[rainbowgardener]

Well OTOH, I have created three different flower/ veggie beds out of what used to be my front lawn, just by smothering the grass. Works very well for me. But do NOT put the compost directly on the grass. Put the cardboard on the grass, a couple layers of cardboard or a bunch of layers of newspaper. Water the cardboard well and maybe walk on it some to be sure it is flat to the ground. You want it definitely wet, dry cardboard does not break down well. Then put your compost and topsoil on top of the cardboard, at least 3" of it, preferably 4-6." Then water the new soil and plant in to it immediately, to help stabilize it. You can plant seeds directly in to it. If you are putting in big plants, you can cut holes through the cardboard.

If your bed is bordered by lawn, you will need to have some kind of edging, that you pound down in to the soil, to help keep the grass from growing in to the new bed.

By next year the grass will be smothered and the cardboard will have all broken down and you will just have a deep soft bed.

You are right to start by mowing the grass short, just helps the cardboard mash it down flatter.

[rickrock1202]

Ok thanks for the advice. A few more questions. I was planning on mulching (probably around 3-4") as my top layer. The problem I will run into if I compost too high over the cardboard is the height of the bed. I am using blocks as my boarder that are only about 4" high.

Is there any other way to use the cardboard, compost, and mulch method but stay within the height of the bed?

[applestar]

If you can wait about a month, the compost and cardboard will settle and you'll probably have enough room for the (rest of the) mulch.

You could also get those short wire garden border "fences". I'm thinking of the inexpensive ones that are something like 10 panels accordion folded, but there are more prricey decorative ones, too, depending on what you want. They can sort of help to hold in the piled mulch.

[rickrock1202]

Ok.... What about removing the grass, composting, cardboard, then mulching... This would allow me to stay within the height and still be able to plant in the next week or so... Any thoughts

Thanks for the help so far

[Susan W]

There are several ways to approach this project. I have my pet way, with amends depending on situation.

1. mow grass & weeds, leave clippings.

2. to mark edges can sprinkle flour around the boundaries

3 Borders if you are using them (blocks, boards, timbers etc) If you have spready stuff around a good time to pound in that edging below surface. A border is good if you like neat and tidy. Another way is to mound up your garden, and put extra mulch such as shredded hardwood around the edges to hold in place.

4. I put a thin layer of bagged manure down on grass. I am thinking got this tip from this board. Thought is it helps to break down grass and certainly doesn't hurt anything!

5. Cardboard or several layers newspaper. More manure and top soil, perhaps 1" total, helps hold everything in place.

6. Water

7. Can then add much more stuff, or if at end of work time, wait until next day
Much more stuff is bags of this and that including topsoil, manure, compost, cotton burr. Mix it up.

8. You will want at least 4" above base soil.

9. Plant!

10. after plants are up and in order, mulch, could be a few weeks.

11. Need a review and practice? Come on by as I have a couple of small areas that need worked!

[valley]

Show us what you do, pictures will make it like we are right there with you.

[rickrock1202]

Hopefully this gives you a better ideal...I just want to turn this patch into a nice bed for smaller brush, bushes, and perennials. I also have to do the other beds against the house but that is a whole other discussion. As for this area, You can see that the the grass is already halfway gone due to winter plowing. The soil is pretty compacted too. I do have a small electric tiller that I can turn the soil. Should I just loosen up the soil then add some compost? I could then add alittle compost to the top of the cardboard before mulching.

P.s. I have read that cardboard is a great organic weed block because it eventually decomposes. If anybody strongly disagrees feel free to chime in.

* I would also like to plant in the next week or so

Thanks

[rickrock1202]

Ok...so I tilled the top inch or 2 to get most of the grass up (sorry, I'm impatient)...this also helped loosen the compacted area. What would be the best thing to do in order to ready to plant in a few weeks.

I was planning on tilling again in a few days...then laying the cardboard with mulch on top...would this allow me to plant a few things in a couple of weeks or did I totally mess things up with my impatience. Thanks

[Susan W]

This certainly does change the conversation, and thanks for sharing pic & info.
The big question is what are you planning to plant in the area? Looks like it gets abuse, snow etc.
Where are you?
Think of evergreen shrubs that will enhance the front area. See what other people have in your neighborhood, check the garden centers. I'm in the mid-south, and not much assist here!

[rickrock1202]

This certainly does change the conversation, and thanks for sharing pic & info.
The big question is what are you planning to plant in the area? Looks like it gets abuse, snow etc.
Where are you?
Think of evergreen shrubs that will enhance the front area. See what other people have in your neighborhood, check the garden centers. I'm in the mid-south, and not much assist here!

In northeast, Connecticut. Just looking to add some life and color to the area. And yes the area does get abuse from the winter plowing and from cars driving over it (the stones were not there until a few days ago) . I have visited a few garden centers around here and found some nice shrubs and evergreen that can be mixed in. I just want to make sure that the soil is acceptable before I plant.

[rickrock1202]

AT this point would it be ok to just add 1-2" of compost, cardboard, then 3" of mulch. Then plant in another week?

Here is a quick update of the above posts:
-Turning a patch of grass into a landscape garden bed (see above picture)
-Tilled top couple of inched to remove most of the grass and loosen up soil

Thoughts???

Thanks Again for all the help and patience
-Rick

[valley]

rick, Just curious, are you planing to raise the rounded corner in the foreground. The front of the house is stately, the eye looks up to the house, raising the corner would support the posture and stop it being used as a short cut from the garage. The pillars give the look of Garni Grecian.
What ever you do is right. This will be fun for you and for us seeing the change.

[ElizabethB]

A layer of thick cardboard (appliance boxes) is a good start. I HATE landscape cloth except as an under layment for gravel. There is no problem with building your bed 6" - 8" higher than your edging. In fact a little sculpturing of the surface is attractive. Have a high point on each end of the bed like 8" and the low point 6". You could even go with 10" and 8". In a very short period of time the soil will compact. Your bed is small. You do not have room for much. In the bump out on the right side consider a Dynomite Crepe Myrtle. The only true red crepe myrtle - slow growing 12' - 15- tall. Plant the root ball 2' from the widest point. You have little room for shrubs =- maybe 3 staggered. Hawthorn is standard. Spring bloom relative easy to maintain. Gives some formality to the front of your house. Granted not very original but sustainable. Under plant and fill with new gold lantana and purple homestead verbena. Both very drought tolerent and the colors work well together. Also consider ornamental sweet potato vine - purple and chartreuse. Again plants that cover a lot of space, are low maintenance and look fantastic together. Keep things simple. 1 specimen plant 3 to 5 small shrubs. Fill in with annuals and perennials. Pay attention to mature size when placing plants. It may look skimpy when you start but you don't want to be ripping out plants in 5 years.

Good lucik