still growing!

The newspapers that I put down in the garden last month didn't do a bad job. The paper held up really well against the weeds and grass, but where there were seams between pages, the grass was finding a way through. It was also sprouting up around the sticks that I used as stakes. The papers had to be wetted down every day so they wouldn't start to blow around in the wind, so after about two weeks I decided that the maintenance was just going to be too much and bought a roll of landscaping fabric.

It was pretty nice outside when I started the project. Most of the garden was in the shade, and it wasn't too hot. Since Bermuda grass is so tenacious, I figured it would be best to finish covering the garden with newspaper, and then lay the landscape fabric on top. I've heard that grass can get through landscaping fabric, and I didn't want to take any chances.


So far, so good! Of course, I haven't had to do much yet. I just laid another row of newspapers down along the beta test row and pulled out all the sticks, and then rolled out and anchored down the fabric. Cake!

Then the sun started beating down on me, and I had to hoe out weeds and grass that was rooted at least 6 inches deep, and I hit the fence with the hoe about 45 times and snapped one of the fence posts. Easy? No. Vocabulary enhancing? Yes.


This is the point at which I almost quit. I was hot and sticky and pissy and just about done with caring about weeds. I knew I'd really regret having to come back out the next morning, though, so I sucked it up and kept going.


Finally done! Woohoo!

The zucchini plant had started flowering that week, too, which was nice:



Week Six:


Fabric holding strong so far!



First harvest:


(It's not much, but we were pleased.)

Week Seven:


(I put up chicken wire across the middle of the patch in an attempt to keep Cucumberzilla from overtaking the pepper plants.)