Here I dump dirt on the lawn and as long as there is some depth to the soil that is the last I see of the grass. Except at the edge of the bed, where it does grow up the sides.

But that is because I am not putting walls on the beds.

So I wouldn't use the fabric - which I don't like anyway - for this.

Also you might consider building the bed walls in such a way that they are high and wide enough to function as comfortable benches, from which to work from. And being sure that your proposed 4 ft. width is easily reached all the way across from both sides.

Thank you for the suggestions. I usually space them about 3' apart so my garden stool fits in between the beds. I have seen a design where you put a 1x4 on top of the edges as a seat of sorts but I'm not sure it's necessary for my situation. I'm 33 weeks pregnant so I'm trying to get it somewhat setup before I deliver - if I can get plants/seeds in before my due date then all hubby will have to do it light weeding/watering till I'm ready. I wasn't even going to put the gardens in till fall but I can't help myself I miss my garden!!

Dee, how much cardboard would you recommend (inches) in lieu of the fabric?

I generally use boxes. I try to obtain boxes that have a little ink a possible ( just my phobia of why put more chemicals in my garden/body) I simply fold the box flat giving me 2 layers. You don't want to put it too think or you risk your plants staying too wet at the root.

Thank you :)

I'm guessing that if it is Bermuda grass, that won't be the last you see of it if you dump soil on it. Cardboard might be smart.

I have raised beds for my vegetable gardens and also a small 4'x4' one in front of the garage with a rose and lavender planted in it. I try and remove as much of the grass before I build the beds either through solarization with clear plastic in the middle of summer or through using a sod cutter other times of the year (a gas powered one). As you can see from the comments above, that's probably overkill. Cardboard works too.

What I do want to mention is that's an ongoing battle to keep bermuda out of raised beds when the grass surrounds them. My vegetable beds are ringed around the entire plot with steel edging. There's at least 6 inches or more between the grass and the vegetable beds so when the grass starts creeping in I can either dig it out or spray vinegar. The bed in front of the garage doesn't have a buffer and I'm forever finding grass coming up through the lavender even though we keep the grass trimmed pretty well. So I find out where it's coming from and dig it all out. Last fall I took some of the sides apart and put steel edging in front of the wooden sides sunk into the ground a couple inches to hopefully slow down the invasion. Too soon to tell if it will help or not.

I'll definitely be following this thread to see if anyone has ideas on how to keep out grass from their beds.

Lisa

I'd be tempted to line the bottom in newspaper/cardbaord to kill the grass (discourage growing), and let it decompose as it will. I do a thick layer of cardboard and 1-2 inches of mulch in the winter/dormancy, then pull it all off in the spring, mulch into the yard (mow it down), and I get very, very few weeds since beginning that.

It seems to me that anything that will allow a plant to grow roots down into the surrounding soil will allow bermuda to creep up into the raised bed.

Think a good solution would be to smother the grass as has been mentioned, but smother an additional foot or so around the raised bed and then maintain a mulched area around the bed where you could pull or spray grass advancing on your raised bed.

I have 3 long raised beds for daylilies. It had been my boyfriend's garden so the soil was rich. I sprayed Roundup {I know many people are against it, but I find it indispensible when used judiciously. I put down a great soil mix I get from a local company. I put down heavy mulch in the pathways. It was great for a few years, but slowly the weeds crept back in. I now am going to remove the lilies to another raised bed I built last year. Once they are cleaned out, I will weed eat down to the soil. With everything out of this garden area, I will roundup it two or three times. This will probably take a month or so. Once weeds are killed [and I know it will be temporary!] I will put more of this great soil mix on top. For the walkways, I plan to do the same thing. Then will put down black plastic and lots of river rock to walk on. I did this in my new raised beds - used 80 bags of rock - and the only place weeds try to grow is at the edge of the raised bed. Easy to pull out! I love the rock! It doesn't disintegrate like mulch, drains well. When those beds are done, I will transplant my lilies back into them. I have found with raised beds, after a few years, you will need to topdress and fill in more soil. I find that if I topdress with compost [I raise horses so have lots of wonderful, aged compost} in spring and fall, I have less weeds.

Weeds are something every gardener has to do battle with constantly. I keep looking for ways to outwit them.

Judith

If you find a supplier of solar panels, the cardboard that they come in is great. I also have gone to recycling centers and pick up large cardboard from them. A metal liner dug into the ground outside of your wood might help wit keeping the grass runners from coming in along with weeding when you see runners. I am so grateful that I do not have Bermuda..