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Lining raised beds
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Posts: 82
Just built three new raised beds - two high planter style and one lower long one.
The area they are in has ground elder (that I've been tackling for years)
Would folks recommend weed fabric underneath and lined inside the bed or maybe cardboard / thick plastic sheeting to prevent the ground elder invading my nice new beds?
Was planning on putting a thick layer of bark chippings in the beds first to bulk out and make my topsoil bulk bag go further..
Welcome any help / comments. Thanks
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Line the base with cardboard. Line the sides with plastic to prevent water from the soil seeping into the material from the soil - makes it last longer and stops nasties leaching back into the soil.
I would suggest straw rather than chipped bark as it's probably cheaper and will rot down faster to release nutrients. Mix it with some manure if you can get some - DIY and garden centres sell it bagged and rotted. Then start a compost heap as you will need to renew and replenish the soil and its nutrients every year to maintain both levels and plant health.
What a diverse mob we gardeners are, I would tackle it in a different way. Lay a heavy duty membrane with very small holes for drainage on that spread some gravel then add fresh soil and compost mixed with grit and washed sand plus rotted manure if you can get it if not a few handfulls of Granular Fertiliser. Line the sides with heavy duty plastic I used old compost bags double, turn them inside out and they are usually black. You should get two years growth from that by adding some feed as you grow then take off a top layer and refresh, it is good to have your own compost and it is the best medium to add to the boxes before planting. Just my opinion of course with the experience and mistakes of many years gardening.
Frank.
Thanks everyone.
I think I'm going to lay the weed membrane at the bottom to stop any ground elder infiltrating then woodchips on top and I'll line the sides with some strong black plastic I have then top soil mixed in with the output of my hot composter! (My current gardening addiction)
I'd take the wheel barrow down the road to the stables but the kids & Mrs complain about it since someone always gets shoes / football / falls in it!
I'm using damp-proof plastic to line the sides of my raised beds.
Why would it matter if cardboard is ugly, surely it would be under the soil?
I would definitely get rid of the ground elder as a priority or you will curse it for ever.
how deep are your raised beds and what do you intend planting in them? veg or flowers?