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Raised bed weed control

LewisiumLewisium Posts: 122
in Problem solving
What are you're preferred methods for this issue? Last year I just put some green manure on them but is using weed membrane on them a good idea once I de-weed it? Or cardboard sheets?
(sheet mulching) 

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I plant mine up - no gaps , and no weeds  :)
    What are you using the beds for? If you don't have plants all year round in it, then hoeing off the weeds and using a good mulch is probably the easiest. You can lay the cardboard down first, and mulch on top. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    A raised bed is unlikely to have established perennial weeds in it, so regular hoeing off or hand weeding should be enough to deal with annual weedlings when they appear. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LewisiumLewisium Posts: 122
    I'll be leaving most of them. I have 8. I'll use 2 for winter onions. I'll get some cardboard sheets on then some of that Strulch. 
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Are you talking about an allotment, where most of the beds will be empty over the Winter, or a garden, where they will be full of over-wintering plants?

    At our allotment, we weed the beds are they become empty, dig in fresh manure, and then cover with a weed suppressing membrane.  We then add bricks to the top, to stop the membrane blowing away.  We find this stops almost all weeds, except the dreaded Bindweed, and Brambles.
  • LewisiumLewisium Posts: 122
    KeenOnGreen said:
    Are you talking about an allotment, where most of the beds will be empty over the Winter, or a garden, where they will be full of over-wintering plants?

    At our allotment, we weed the beds are they become empty, dig in fresh manure, and then cover with a weed suppressing membrane.  We then add bricks to the top, to stop the membrane blowing away.  We find this stops almost all weeds, except the dreaded Bindweed, and Brambles.
    Yes its an allotment. I could put some weed membrane down too I suppose. 
  • StephenSouthwestStephenSouthwest Posts: 635
    I never have enough room in my raised bed for all the winter veg, but I do mulch between them when I plant, to keep the weeds down and the water in till the veg plants fill up the space.
  • NewBoy2NewBoy2 Posts: 1,813
    With respect a raised bed means it is new and above the old existing soil level.

    The RB should have been filled with new top soil so should not have any dormant weed seeds in it and so should not in theory need heavy weeding.

    If you have erected a proper raised bed at least 24" high and filled it with exiting soil then if you have dug down at least 1 to 2 foot you will have transferred "sleeping" weed seeds to the RB.

    Good luck
    Everyone is just trying to be Happy.....So lets help Them.
  • StephenSouthwestStephenSouthwest Posts: 635
    edited September 2021
    ...my raised bed is quite old now, and gets filled with a mix of whatever sensible material comes to hand - It's never had 'new' topsoil (whatever that is) in it.
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