So, I made a HUGE mistake about 3 years ago. I don’t know what I was thinking but I decided to plant 20 little raspberry plants right in the middle of my vegetable garden. It was nice rich soil and they would do very well there. That was the mistake. They did so well that’s practically all I had in the garden as 20 plants turned to 40 then….. you get the picture. So I decided to give them a new home where they could live all alone and that we could mow around so they wouldn’t spread any further. It was very simple easy and fast and this is how you do it.
First step is get some corrugated cardboard. I got some at my boys school and I also raided the recycling at a local store. You can use newspaper as long as you use it about 6 layers thick. Next mark out your bed and if it is in the lawn like mine, cut the grass as short as possible. Lay down the cardboard making sure to overlap to prevent growth through the cracks. Then give it a good soaking. This will expedite the softening of the cardboard making it easier to plant.
Next add about 4″-6″ of compost all over the cardboard.
Rake it evenly and water again just to settle it down. Then leave it for a few days allowing the grass to die and for the worms to work their magic. When you go to plant you can rake back the compost where the plant is going. If the cardboard is still fairly hard you can take a knife and cut a small x in it. Plant your plant and cover back up. Next I would add a good layer of mulch to top it all off. You can use anything you like such as wood chips, bark mulch or straw depending on what you have on hand and what you are planting. I’m using bark mulch but if it were blueberries I would use chips or sawdust.
Speaking of blueberries I have now decided that I need a new bed for more of these but I probably won’t have time to get it all planted till at least fall if not next spring. So what I’m going to do is make the bed the same way except if I need to I can use some material that is not fully composted. I could use fresh grass clippings or animal manure that was yet to be broken down. Then I can mulch it and just leave it until I’m ready to plant.
This is a very good way to make beds as there is no ripping up layers of sod and soil. It keeps the beneficial bacteria, fungi, nematodes and earthworms from being disturbed or harmed so that when you plant there is a much healthier foundation for your plants.
Now I’ve been thinking that I could use a bed for asparagus too. Maybe some cranberries and more strawerries. I need more cardboard.
Cheers!
Sarah