I'm planning to build some raised vegetable beds and have sketched out a basic plan: clear the weeds, use an electric tiller to break up the ground, level the soil, lay down a weed membrane, and then set up the raised beds. However, part of the area I want to start on is covered in grass. Can I just till right over the grass, or should I remove it first? I hope to avoid grass removal since I plan to install a weed membrane. Any tips would be greatly appreciated! By the way, I'm located in the Southeast of England.
2 Answers
You might want to skip the weed membrane altogether. Instead, consider using plain cardboard; it works just as well and it's eco-friendly. Remember, there are two main types of weeds—perennials and annuals. You should dig up the perennials first to remove their roots. After that, placing cardboard down before your raised beds can effectively keep most weeds at bay. Annual weeds are a bit trickier since they can blow in from anywhere, but don’t worry, they’re pretty easy to pull up and manage!
I second the advice against using weed membrane! It doesn’t really help once it’s buried and weeds can still come through. Plus, consider the no-dig gardening method; it saves a lot of time and effort. Since you're going to add soil for the beds, digging may not even be necessary. But if your area is uneven, a little tilling could help with leveling things out for a nicer look in the long run. Just my two cents!
The tilling is mainly for leveling, so the beds look nice and even.
Thanks for the tip!