Hey everyone! I've been diving into the book "Weedless Gardening" by Lee Reich, based on a friend's recommendation (though I'm not in the mood to bug them right now). I'm looking to start using this method for the first time and have a few questions about it. Here's what I understand so far and where I'm confused:
1. I believe the process goes like this: put down some fertilizer, cover it with paper, and then later add 3-4 inches of compost on top (with paths left bare). Is that right?
2. When's the best time to lay down the paper? I'm based in lower SE Michigan, and it's early March—am I too early?
3. Should I place the compost right before planting (around mid-May) or can it go down earlier?
4. Do I really plant directly in 100% compost? I've heard from other gardeners that it's too rich and that a compost/topsoil mix is better.
5. Strangely, the book doesn't seem to cover the actual planting process. Am I missing something there?
6. If I lay paper and compost down this year, do I have to do it every year? I understand it will settle a bit, but won't that just make an oversized raised bed over time?
7. Lastly, if I lay cardboard down in the fall, would that work as a substitute for paper in the spring?
2 Answers
You’ve got the general steps down, but just keep in mind that the fertilizer might wash away if you put it down too early. Lay the paper when you're ready and ensure it's thick enough for effectiveness. As for timing the compost, go ahead and put it down right after the paper. Mid-May works well since that’s close to planting time.
About the compost: it's best to use quality stuff, either homemade or from a reliable source; just make sure it's suitable for planting directly into. Some folks debate whether to mix it, so it’s a good idea to listen to both sides of that coin.
And yeah, the planting section is surprisingly sparse! It seems to expect you to already know how to get your plants in the ground. If you do the layers this year, you might not have to repeat it, but keep an eye on how much the soil settles over time.
Using cardboard in the fall could work too, but it might not align perfectly with the book’s ideas, and the condition matters.
The book promotes a no-till approach which is pretty interesting! It mentions cutting down existing vegetation and recommends caution with fertilizers—they might encourage weeds more than help your plants. About the compost, it should definitely be layered on top after putting down your barriers. And for those perennial pesky grasses like bermudagrass, you might have to do four layers or more to keep it from coming back. The specific planting strategies come later in the book—it’s mostly about hardening off your plants and getting them in there with confidence!
Great, that clarifies a lot! Thanks!
Awesome, thanks! So just to clarify, I should skip the fertilizer and go for 100% compost from bulk sources? Also, since I’ll mainly be direct sowing seeds (other than tomatoes), do those need to be planted deeper than the cardboard layer?