Remove Weeds Before Building Raised Bed - Knowledgebase Question

Cuba, MO
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Question by scooter8
April 11, 1999
Do I need to get rid of all of the weeds and grass before I start piling up the new soil for my raised garden or will the extra layers of soil kill the weeds and grass? Can I put down the black plastic over the weeds and grass and then put 6 - 12 inches of soil or would plants not thrive in that type of situation? Thanks for you information.


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Answer from NGA
April 11, 1999
Twelve inches of soil should smother whatever is underneath, but I still recommend that you till and rake the area first to help "blend" your soil with the "imported" soil. If your soil is clay or otherwise poorly drained, it helps to dig to a depth of 18-24" the area before building the bed. If you're just planting shallow-rooted (to 6") annual plants, your plants will probably grow fine without the extra digging, or with a layer of plastic.

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