Friday, May 3, 2013

How am I going to block weeds in a huge, sloped rose garden?

 How does the saying go?  The journey of a 1,000 miles starts with the first step.  The weed blocking that I need to address is such a perceived daunting task to me..



The sq footage that has be to looked at is well over 2000 feet...could be more like 3,000.  I will start doing these in steps,  I suppose.

My first inclination is screen...One reason is that I have a lot of it.  Downside to screen is hard to cleanup. I use sod staples to secure them.

The screen does work pretty well but some weeds are extremely agreesive.  Also, I have to consider mulch. It would be very expensive to mulch the who area.  Was considering pine straw or leaves.

 My husband brought home red brick and looks very groomed next to the house. Need to finish mulching it.  Will probably put a single sprinkler here connected to a water timer.

Going to use newspaper too.  This is going to be an uphill battle...literally.

Probably should have killed the grass first but then wouldn't I have an erosion issue?

Probably put screen on the edges and paper in between the roses.  Am I finished planting the area?  Not sure.

I think I have switched some roses up.  This rose is deep red.  I don't think this is Promise.  Is Promise Rose where the Climbing Iceberg supposed to me?  If so, what is this, what is the peach one and where is Iceberg?


Not sure if I am screening this area but may put paper around the roses more.


Will probably put more hydras here.


Maybe put more hydras and coleus here.




4 comments:

HolleyGarden said...

In my flower beds, I use newspaper, craft paper, cardboard, paper grocery sacks, etc. - I save all year long if necessary. One year I used canvas fabric drop cloths, because they were handy, but they didn't work very well. I love the look of purchased bark mulch, but I also use whatever I have handy - pine needles are usually plentiful here. Good luck. You will be so pleased when it is done.

Jean Campbell said...

I wish there was some easy answer to weed problems.

If you google 'weeds and grass in flower beds' you find many more people with the same problem than you do answers. Here's some of the answers that I've seen on other gardeners' blogs:

Cameron weeds a little every time she walks outside. I am a fan.

Janie V. uses Round-up with a paint roller. Be aware that roller will spatter and the finest mist of Roundup is not a good thing on desirable plants. Last resort.

Layers of newspaper must be 10-20 sheets thick to be effective. Wet them as you put them down and cover with mulch.

I am a fan of English Edging/trench edging/Victorian Edging. Call it what you may, it will keep grass from marching into a bed.

a clump of grass dug and turned upside down will not grow back; roots can't grow upside down and it will compost in place.

I stockpile pine straw when it falls. There is none left over at the end of summer.

So what to do?

Dig, dig, dig.
Pull, pull, pull.
Florida Betony and Bermuda grass shall not win!

Cerberus German shepherds said...

I just got back from a minor surgery. Last night, I put a bunch of paper down and the wind is blowing it in the pool and all over the yard :( Didn't mulch it yet but this hasn't worked out well, today.

Jean Campbell said...

Minor surgery is what other people have. Take care of yourself and have a speedy recovery.