1. Mulch the bare area. That’s relatively cheap at first. But it will have to be redone every year or two.
2. Cover the bare area with a layer of large stones - irregular, golf ball size.
3. As #2, but put down weed fabric first.
4. Cover the bare area with a layer of small stones - irregular, marble size, like pea gravel.
5. As #4, but put down weed fabric first.
I have no idea which method would be best for her. But I’ve seen option #4 on playgrounds and such. Not many weeds there. Any advice would be appreciated.
Weeding 300 sf is no joke. ALWAYS put fabric down. You still can get weeds if there is any dirt on top of the fabric, but they cant root. After that, whatever suits her taste.
A lot depends upon the type of flowers being gardened. If they include annuals, hand weeding is the only real option. If it is exclusively bulbs and perennials, pre-emergence herbicides such as oryzalin (if there are grasses) or isoxaben (if no grasses are present) will clear that “weed bank” after repeated use.
I would consider numbers 3-5. Stones won’t stop weeds. They will grow up around the stones. The same with mulch. They’ll happily grow in the mulch. The best solution is a thick weed-proof fabric. Then add soil and mulch. You’ll still get some small weeds on top, but these can easily be controlled with occasional applications of weed spray.
As a long-time gardener and weed-fighter, that’s what works for us.
Ping for any assistance.
They do not prevent weeds even with the landscape fabric and are a pain to deal with.
Best way I have found.
First, clear the area.
Next go over the area with a weed burner.
Next lay down the landscape fabric.
If you want walking paths lay down pavers and mulch the edges.
Otherwise just mulch.
We put in the pavers because as you get older you get a bit less steady and walking on on mulch can be a hazard and pushing a wheel chair is very difficult.
My dad needs his chair some days but he is still able to go out and move around the garden area in it.
They will all need regular upkeep, though putting down weedblock will be the most effective at controlling the weeds. Rocks without weedblock would be inviting the weeds to proliferate. The size of the rocks is purely a personal preference, I would use the smaller rock because it will provide a smoother walking surface. Wind blown dirt and bird droppings will eventually build up above the weedblock and provide a medium for the weeds anyway (may take a few years), so regular maintenance will be needed no matter what is used
Nuke it from orbit; it’s the only way to be sure.
make sure when you put down landscape fabic thatyou put down granular week killer first.
After year of mulching our home’s 8’ perimeter, we decided to replace the mulched area with river stone (smooth 2”-3”). Much less cost and maintenance now.
does weed fabric block gophers? if not, what if anything blocks gophers?
I have 54 5-gallon buckets with holes in the bottom filled with good soil in our vegetable garden.
I only water the buckets, so I am not watering weeds.
Anything not in a bucket is weed-wacked.
For our flower garden I use sections of PVC pipe around the plants instead of buckets and weed-wack anything not surrounded by PVC pipe.
What is the question?
All of these are viable choices, so what do you want? if it's low maintenance you're after don't rule out a hardscape with various size stones and stuff composed for an aesthetic presentation instead of just... rocks... :) Keep the leaves and debris cleaned out of it and voila! Nice, low-maintenance landscape. Maybe stick in a couple of evergreens and a specimen plant in a pot for the growing season. Costs a bit at first but buy once, cry once.
Rototill and plant grass.
Roundup. Take a swig first. It might entitle you to a major cash award.
Thanks for posting. I am dealing with a similar problem. Just ordered pea gravel today to cover the weedy area out back. The people who moved in next door will not deal with their weeds, so now the nice, easy to remove sticky tall thistle weeds are replaced by annoying prairie grass weeds and dandelions.
I am going to use fabric. Maybe two layers. And then spray like hell. I’ll probably put down a lot of Preen down on the fabric before putting on the pea gravel.
Preen from Costco
Generic Roundup
Cardboard makes a good weed barrier.
My veggies do well by benign neglect.
Have not had to plant any tomatoes, peppers and a few herbs in the 5 years here. They are ‘wild’ out of the compost pile.
Concrete - the ultimate landscaping material.
Nuke it from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.....