purpleinopp said:Stone, have you tried your smother without the carpet? Nothing I've tried to smother under cardboard (corrugated box kind, not cereal boxes) topped with leaves/mulch has failed to die.
Please let me know when you've had some experience with the particular plants I mentioned.
your method might work nicely with an annual like Phyllanthus urinaria...
But would only encourage the plants I mentioned... which scoff at being pulled...
Hmm
another plant that might perish under the carpet would be Houttuynia cordata... which, believe me... you do not want in the garden....
I don't think that cardboard concept would even work on mint or monarda... And the ones I mentioned are far worse...
It's very interesting pulling up several layers of cardboard, and seeing where the spreaders have rooted all through the cardboard...
Edit:
I potted up some Tragia urticifolia this year for observation...
http://stonethegardener.tumblr...
You would not want to attempt hand pulling that spreader... :)
Let me know if you'd like some stachys...
http://oak.ppws.vt.edu/scott/w...
I've been deliberately planting it in the new garden for those tubers... But it's a bear!
