Creating or Expanding a Garden Bed – from an OTP resident

We asked for some submissions of projects and activities from Oak Terrace Preserve residents and Joan heard us.  Joan and her husband’s landscaping efforts are clear to anyone walking by their home.  These are some of her suggestions for anyone looking to expand their garden.

I am experimenting with a technique for creating or enlarging a garden bed into an area covered with grass.  With this method there is no digging up of the grass and no chemicals.  I did not invent this method, I read  about it in several places over the past six months.

Steps:

1. Mark out the bed area.
2. Dig a trough through the grass with a spade.  A flat edge spade works best if  installing a border guard at the same time.  My long term plans include no grass so I’m forgoing the border guard and using my favorite shovel.
   
   
3. Lay down four layers of news print over the area that will be the bed. Tuck the end of the newsprint into the trough you dug.  Wet the paper down as you go.  It helps to do a little at a time particularly if it is windy.
   
4. Lay 4 inches of pine straw or mulch on top of the paper. Wet it down again.
   

If all goes according to plan by fall I will be able to plant right into the beds through the paper and mulch which will hopefully be broken  down. The grass will be adding nutrients to the soil but should otherwise be  eradicated.

I will let you know how it goes.

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