From

Location

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Date Posted

addison Il

this is our first yr and we have learned alot from all of you here but i have one question for you this may sound dumb to some but well i will ask anyways. this yr too warm the soil we layed black plastic down over the whole patch then when the time came we cut holes about the size of a garbage can lid and planted our babiew well we lost the war on grass and weeds becasue it came up throught the hole and around the stump but under the plastic is black dirt and you can see lots of roots what to do next yr go with black plastic again or is there other mulches that are better for rooting plants water absorbtion and less grass and weeds any advice would be appreciated thanks

8/17/2005 11:40:11 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

hoe...hoe..hoe

8/18/2005 9:12:34 AM

Montoursville, PA

Three to four inches of hay or straw. Two inches of ground leaves. Two inches of grass clippings. One inch of ground peanut shells with more to fill in as the season develops.
You may put down four to six sheets of newsprint and cover with any of the above or other organic waste. Live near a cannery think pea or bean hulls one inch thick. Finished compost if you can make enough. It has to be finished or nearly finished. Again an inch or so.

There is no way to maximize soil management while covering with plastic. Nothing is right, for soil improvement, under plastic. Nothing!

8/18/2005 3:28:09 PM