I wonder if it would help to put some compost or manure down first, so the worms would get going.

Disclaimer: I'm just speculating here.

Sounds like a great idea; it couldn't possibly Not work. However, I don't have any.

When I was a kid in Memphis, people were forever putting tarpaper held down by bricks on their lawns to kill grass. As far as I know, it worked. I don't see why a table cloth wouldn't work.

There is the idea that the heat will also kill all the good things in yourn soil too. At least I know thta is why they say not to put down black plastic. I assume the table cloth would work the same way.

Some people just use newspaper. What kind of grass is it?

Good grief....you should absolutely put down several layers of newspaper or some card board and IMPROVE the soil while you are killing the grass. When you are ready to install your plants, put down more newspaper and cover with mulch. No grass or weed problem.

The tablecloths may kill the top of the plants but I doubt that the crowns (and root system) will be snuffed out.

Black plastic and table cloths will not heat up the soil enough to kill any organisms in the soil, that is the job of clear plastic (and solarization). The PLASTIC will get hotter than the dickens, but it will not penetrate down into the soil layers.

Truly, vsjo....you will be one hundred percent more pleased with the results of newspaper or cardboard layering. (Several pages of newspaper, wetted down after you apply it do that it won't blow away, then covered with mulch. Works like a charm.)

I do all of my beds with newspaper now. I just mow the area real short, then put the newspaer in the wheelbarrow and wet it down, then lay down sections and cover with compost and then some mulch. The earthworms work the compost in once the newspaper decomposes and by then the grass/weeds are long dead. I use a bit thinker sections for bermuda than for fescue, but I would say about 5-10 sheets thick.

I use black plastic a lot and your right about the clear plastic rhizo. I once moved a piece of clear plastic to dry for an hour or so and browned about 200 square feet of grass in a clients yard. Fortunately for me it returned within a week or so and I didn't have to replace it. Lucky for me I didn't leave it longer!

I read in one of the forums that someone puts down chicken scratch feed about an inch thick (buy it at Ingles or a feed and seed store) covered by cardboard to help keep it moist. Worms will be attracted and will tunnel the dirt and break it up while leaving castings as they eat the feed.

I checked at Ingles and the scratch feed it about 6 or 7 dollars for a bag (20 or 25 lbs.). I'm tempted to try it with a couple of bags to see how long it takes.

Does this sound legitimate?

i have some pretty invasive grass with runners (bermuda, most likely) right around the crown of my maples and magnolias. i have done everything to get rid of it ... i was going to mulch to try to help, but i'm glad i read this. do y'all think the 5-10 sheets wetted newspaper + mulch would rid me of this annoying problem grass? wi suppose it would be a good idea to fertilize the tree at the same time, eh (under the newspaper)?

I use the newspaper/ compost method a lot with great results. I also have killed large areas of grass and weeds by just laying down a bed of fresh wood chips about 6-8 inches thick and letting it decompose on the spot. Nothing got through that.

I imagine the tablecloth thing would work but would leave the soil dry and hard.

I am the original poster and I forgot that I had posted and did not follow up. The tablecloth method did not work well. I switched to the layers of newspaper for this project and more later; works great. I added topsoil and manure under the newspapers.

I actually have used the newspaper method a lot. I like to cover the newspaper with the amendments since it helps hold the paper in place, but I guess it does take longer for it to get worked into the soil. If you are putting your amendments under the paper do you put more on top, or how do you hold it in place?

I finally got around to it - I'm holding the paper in place (after wetting) with mulch.