Making a new landscape bed. Do I have to kill off the grass where it will be, or can I just put the dirt down
Question:I'm making a new bed for the landscape on the side of my house. There is currently grass there. Do I need to "kill off" the grass, or can I just start building up the bed with the dirt right over the top of it?
Answers:
I believe you would want to dig out the area so that it is level and then you can put down this black plastic weed killer stuff found at your local gardening store (I find mine at Home Depot) that way the weeds/grass will not grow up through it over time - which is what will happen if you just throw dirt overtop.
killing the grass now will save you some work later. Some grass could survive and re-emerge in your bed... and you'll have to pull it then.
You could start building up the bed, but to make a good bed you will want to till in the new soil and the grass will cause problems. You don't want to use grass killer since you'll be planting other things. Your best bet is to rent a sod kicker and dig up as much of the grass as you can, lay down some composted topsoil and till it in.
If you opt not to till, then lay down several thicknesses of newspaper on top of the grass before you put the new soil on top. That will keep the grass from growing up through. The grass will eventually die (lack of sun light) and the paper will degrade.
Anything you use to kill off the grass will be in the ground for how long I don't know. The best way is to "Scrape" off the grass. Using a flat spaded shovel, scrape just below the grass, if you have ever seen "sod" you will know what I mean.
Then you can add top soil to build it up to where you want it.
Remove top soil along with the grass roots with a shovel. This will give you a grass free bed else you will see grass taking over your bed soon. Then put top soil layer. Plant and mulch the remaining area to stop weeds and grass growing in the bed.
Ha Ha Ha
you ain't real
you gonna kill the grass roots by burying them
How do you normally plant things you drongo? HUH?
You need to remove the grass completely or else you will be pulling it out all summer when it comes through your new dirt.
I have started new beds using two methods. One bed I started by burning the existing grass and weeds and putting new soil on top. For the other bed I used cardboard to smother the weeds and put new soil on top. Both methods have worked well for me.
maybe you want to put down some tarp 2 prevent weeds from growing
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