More mulch. If the area isn't going to be underplanted, newspaper.

I don't understand the statement about the beds getting smaller. Is grass growing in from the sides? Are these raised beds that are shrinking? If the first, you do have to go out there and cut it back.

I use a black sheet of special PVC (plastic) that has many tiny holes: air and water pass, but not light. It is produced specifically for gardening. I cover it with bark or leaves for aesthetic reasons. It works very well, and there is no maintenance to do.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:299583}}

As you said, I LOVE cardboard under my mulch. If I don't have cardboard, I put layers of newspaper. The idea is to smother whatever is dormant under the mulch, if possible, for the first season. After that, there should be less sprouting through since the dormant seeds in the soil won't have had any sunlight to activate them. Grass will still creep in from the edges and try to grow over top of the mulch if you're not looking.

For those of you who aren't adverse to chemicals, my best defense against grass (Bermuda and crabgrass) is a selective herbicide called Ornamec. It's labeled to be safe for over-the-top application in rose beds, and only kills grass. I have also been known to carefully use Round-up in beds in areas away from the roses. For broadleaf weeds around the roses themselves, I water thoroughly one day and pull the weeds the next day. Like catsrose said ... zen.

BTW, I'm really glad your roses are doing so well. I was afraid the ones you bought here were the ones you mentioned in the thread about roses being mowed. Whew.

Connie

I use 2-4" of mulch. It seems to keep weeding to a minimum, even from the first year. It even keeps the ground from getting bone dry when its 90+ and no rain or watering for a month. (That's not true under the pines -- just by the relatively lonely roses.) For bermuda grass, I paint on Round-up with a little paint brush. Crab grass can be pulled (before it seeds!).

Preen. I put it on top of the existing mulch too. Doesn't work well for those weeds and grass that send up runners instead of seed, but it handles a lot.

For a page with links to discussions of amending of planting hole backfill, mulching with paper products, weed fabric etc. ...

Here is a link that might be useful: Linda Chalker-Scott - Horticultural Myths

What do you put under mulch?

What a Scotsman wears under his kilt:

Nothing!

:)

I use cardboard and newspapers, whatever is handiest. It really keeps the weeding to almost nothing. Also requires way less mulch purchased so saves money and makes me feel good about recycling.

Some of my new beds are created from grassy lawn. I just dig the hole for the rose and put cardboard/newspaper on top of the grass and mulch on top of that. In almost no time the grass dies and becomes part of the soil. This really saves the hard labor of digging up an entire new bed. Like lasagna beds but without the raised beds.
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these photos are from my previous house. Started all over again in a new location in 2008.

Denise