I've got a problem with grass invading my raised beds, and I really need some advice. I have saffron corms in one of those beds, and the grass is taking over. I've tried all the common tricks to manage it, but nothing works. Even if I pull the grass out, I'd end up disturbing the corms, which isn't ideal since they aren't currently growing. I'm thinking about using Dr. Earth Final Stop® Weed & Grass Herbicide Killer, but I'm worried about two things: will I be able to plant seeds afterwards, and will the essential oils in the herbicide harm my saffron corms?
4 Answers
Grass killers can be hit or miss, and it really depends on what type of grass you have, which can be tricky to identify. The good news is that bulbs and corms usually grow right through grass, so it shouldn't be a huge issue. My bulbs have thrived even when covered by debris!
I also had a relentless crabgrass issue in my raised beds. What worked for me was covering the area with cardboard and a thick layer of mulch. It finally stopped growing!
If you can manage to smother the grass for about a year, it should die off. I covered the spaces between my raised beds with landscape fabric and lots of straw years ago, and I haven’t had issues since. I even heard that using heavy stones can help with invasive weeds by blocking them completely. It might be worth a shot!
How tall are your raised beds? I’d suggest making them even taller if possible. They say grass struggles to grow if it's smothered by more than 12 inches, so that might help!
They’re about 18 to 24 inches tall at the moment, with cardboard at the bottom. I've layered up the sides too, but this grass is persistent!
I’ve tried that route too, but this grass just keeps popping up even with layers of cardboard, landscape cloth, and mulch! Really frustrating!