Well I have been not getting enough sleep, because I am lying awake at night thinking about next year's garden. All the seed catalogs have arrived, and my mind is filled with new cultivars, and improving upon last years weedful gardening system. I have settled on 1 foot wide plastic mulch (remember my purchase at the amish auction last year), and carpeting. I have visions of no weeds. I actually think that the small width of the plastic will be beneficial, as it will still allow rain and nutrients to penetrate to the root zone of the plants. I am sure it will however be a nightmare to keep from moving around. If anyone has any ideas on how to secure it, I would love to hear them. I also plan on making some some long tunnels with the plastic. I figure one foot wide is just enough to tunnel a narrow row of vegetables. The thing about gardening is that it is never boring. You are always trying to improve every year. I have tried so many techniques. I have been using a modified Square Foot system, however in my years of using this system I have found that the advantages of intensive production, are lost by the difficulty in keeping weeds down. While it is true that closely spaced plants do eventually shade out the weeds, the weeds often have too much of a head start and overtake the plants before shading can occur. I have also raised a garden in circular pots made by pulling the dirt out and forming an earthen bowl. I did this in Paso Robles, where it was sooo dry, and I had so little water due to our solar well. This was truly space wasting. It was also ineffective for me. It would require a ton of soil amendments as you are pulling all the topsoil out of the pot. It was however, conserving of water. I am so glad to live where it RAINS!!!

Little Bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebitfarm@itlnet.net), December 29, 2003

Answers

I may come do that judy. Thanks!

Little bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brightok.net), January 05, 2004.

I have a pretty good sized piece of carpet if you want to come get it. Maybe 12 x 12. It's been laying outside rolled up but should work fine in the garden.

-- Judy (tabletophomestead@earthlink.net), December 31, 2003.