Grass/weeds will grow into the beds- ask me
How I know🤣
speppers69
How are you going to get the mower between the beds?
I put down weed barrier then mulch around my beds. Weeds and weed seeds close to the raised beds usually means weeds IN your raised beds.
CorgiLady
I did. I recommend leaving enough space between each for a wheel barrel if you can
danilluzin
I personally did leave the grass and it worked great so far 4 years on!
bikeonychus
The previous occupant of my house put that stupid plastic weed barrier stuff down and mulched on top of it around my veg beds, and it has been an awful headache. It never seems to drain, and the woodchip mulch turned to rotten goop very quickly. I wish they had just left the grass, at least that’s easier to walk on.
I started pulling it up last year in frustration. This spring, I’m taking it all out.
drtythmbfarmer
If you have tunneling rodents in your area you should add some quarter inch hardware cloth to the bottoms of those beds before you fill them. All in all, its pretty easy to keep the grass down with a weed trimmer.
Far_Being2906
I have been putting straw down for the last few years. This year saw dust inoculation with some mushroom spawn. More straw. Should have a nice supply of mushrooms.
aReelProblem
Take a rattle can of marking paint something water cleanup and mark the outline of where each bed touches the grass from the inside and dig up the grass under the beds or else your gonna be battling grass in your beds the rest of your life. I’d personally dig up everything about a foot out from the entire area of those beds. I’m sure you’re trying to keep a nice look but grass will fill in super fast and it’s ultimately a nutrient thief for your garden to contend with.
btownbub
I have grass between my raised beds and it is the bane of my existence. I end up spending time weed whacking and maintaining the grass instead of gardening!
mecavtp
I’d go a layer of cardboard and then wood chips. That grass will become an issue.
GiveHerBovril
I put gravel between mine but regret it because it’s painful when kneeling and working in the garden. Yes I have a kneeler pad but don’t always have it handy for a quick kneel and work.
So make sure you do something soft enough to kneel on.
JakeRidesAgain
Personally, I’d mulch it. Maybe even border it with flagtones or something to keep the mulch contained. I found that the spaces around my beds got worn down from gardening, and then it would rain and I’d be gardening in mud puddles. I ended up pouring mulch pathways anywhere I was walking to avoid muddy boots, and that helped, but you’ll have to figure an extra bag or 3 into your yearly mulch order so you can top it up as it breaks down.
One-21-Gigawatts
The grass that grew in my beds 6ft in from my perimeter fence last year has something it would like to say
quantumpotatoes
We left grass about our beds, I like to walk barefoot and hate mulch. Give yourself enough space for the lawnmower! Other than that yeah a bit more weeding because of it but that’s not a big deal. I 2nd the fabric or mesh to stop digging rodents. If your grass sucks or gets muddy, mix some clover in it holds up to being tromped on and the flowers attract polinators
Baconsnake
I left grass and I hated it. Got so many weeds that I was depressed going out there and started neglecting the garden.
Have a whole mess of cardboard and chip drop waiting for me to place this year
JustCallMeNancy
If space isn’t an issue I might consider a really wide horseshoe instead. That would avoid the mowing/grass situation and might even help ensure more sunshine and less plants shading others. Or perhaps 2 L’s could do something similar. Whatever you do, I wouldn’t put them ALL back to back length wise, if you’re concerned about grass issues. That would just be a pain to get to your plants.
cephalophile32
This depends greatly on the type of grass you have. The stuff up north where I used to live would be smothered easily. The Bermuda grass where I live now? Laughs in the face of weed barrier, multiple layers of cardboard, 8” of mulch and then 12” of soil. It’s in everything.
ETA: reposted comment, forgot to set my flair.
Gettingoffonit
I do it like that and I don’t regret it though it is more work weeding.
My primary reason is that I live in an extremely rainy area and my garden is on a slight slope. I do t want all my dirt washing down the slope and I don’t want to be constantly gardening in a mud pit.
It also just looks so much nicer and greener than any other option. And it’s obviously cheaper than any other option.
The down side is that yeah grass will come up from under the beds. It’s more weeding. But I don’t mind the weeding. I like spending time sitting on a stool in the garden pulling weeds and picking off bugs. If you turn the beds deep every time you replant and cut any existing long roots it won’t be too overwhelming
jh937hfiu3hrhv9
Grass is a big resource hog. The roots creep underground and will find their way into your bed. Vegetables are princesses and do not handle competition well.
Elrohwen
I left grass and it’s been fine. We just weedwhack every few weeks
Ordinary-You3936
I think it looks much better with a thick layer of chunky woodchips surrounding and in between the beds. It also prevents weeds, you don’t have to mow and if you do have to weed pulling them up is so easy.
For what’s its worth I decided to put down gravel around them so we wouldn’t track in so many grass clippings. It’s pretty easy to maintain and pull the weeds thay do sprout because of the layer of weed blocker.
Make the space wide enough for a push lawnmower. You’ll also be happier with more walking and working space between beds.
beatniknomad
Don’t leave grass bare; line your beds and work on the borders using weed fabric, cardboard, gravel, etc. Also, give yourself more space between the beds.
LASERDICKMCCOOL
More space between the beds! You’re gonna be miserable once they’re full
HorizontalBob
I have opened bottom raised beds. I need to weed whack around it then mow up to it.
My beds with plants prevent me from turning the mower the same as a fence would. I also sometimes hit plants if they’re spiling over
Just think about that. Like can that mower get between it? Will the handles be hitting something?
27 Comments
Grass/weeds will grow into the beds- ask me
How I know🤣
How are you going to get the mower between the beds?
I put down weed barrier then mulch around my beds. Weeds and weed seeds close to the raised beds usually means weeds IN your raised beds.
I did. I recommend leaving enough space between each for a wheel barrel if you can
I personally did leave the grass and it worked great so far 4 years on!
The previous occupant of my house put that stupid plastic weed barrier stuff down and mulched on top of it around my veg beds, and it has been an awful headache. It never seems to drain, and the woodchip mulch turned to rotten goop very quickly. I wish they had just left the grass, at least that’s easier to walk on.
I started pulling it up last year in frustration. This spring, I’m taking it all out.
If you have tunneling rodents in your area you should add some quarter inch hardware cloth to the bottoms of those beds before you fill them. All in all, its pretty easy to keep the grass down with a weed trimmer.
I have been putting straw down for the last few years. This year saw dust inoculation with some mushroom spawn. More straw. Should have a nice supply of mushrooms.
Take a rattle can of marking paint something water cleanup and mark the outline of where each bed touches the grass from the inside and dig up the grass under the beds or else your gonna be battling grass in your beds the rest of your life. I’d personally dig up everything about a foot out from the entire area of those beds. I’m sure you’re trying to keep a nice look but grass will fill in super fast and it’s ultimately a nutrient thief for your garden to contend with.
I have grass between my raised beds and it is the bane of my existence. I end up spending time weed whacking and maintaining the grass instead of gardening!
I’d go a layer of cardboard and then wood chips. That grass will become an issue.
I put gravel between mine but regret it because it’s painful when kneeling and working in the garden. Yes I have a kneeler pad but don’t always have it handy for a quick kneel and work.
So make sure you do something soft enough to kneel on.
Personally, I’d mulch it. Maybe even border it with flagtones or something to keep the mulch contained. I found that the spaces around my beds got worn down from gardening, and then it would rain and I’d be gardening in mud puddles. I ended up pouring mulch pathways anywhere I was walking to avoid muddy boots, and that helped, but you’ll have to figure an extra bag or 3 into your yearly mulch order so you can top it up as it breaks down.
The grass that grew in my beds 6ft in from my perimeter fence last year has something it would like to say
We left grass about our beds, I like to walk barefoot and hate mulch. Give yourself enough space for the lawnmower! Other than that yeah a bit more weeding because of it but that’s not a big deal. I 2nd the fabric or mesh to stop digging rodents. If your grass sucks or gets muddy, mix some clover in it holds up to being tromped on and the flowers attract polinators
I left grass and I hated it. Got so many weeds that I was depressed going out there and started neglecting the garden.
Have a whole mess of cardboard and chip drop waiting for me to place this year
If space isn’t an issue I might consider a really wide horseshoe instead. That would avoid the mowing/grass situation and might even help ensure more sunshine and less plants shading others. Or perhaps 2 L’s could do something similar. Whatever you do, I wouldn’t put them ALL back to back length wise, if you’re concerned about grass issues. That would just be a pain to get to your plants.
This depends greatly on the type of grass you have. The stuff up north where I used to live would be smothered easily. The Bermuda grass where I live now? Laughs in the face of weed barrier, multiple layers of cardboard, 8” of mulch and then 12” of soil. It’s in everything.
ETA: reposted comment, forgot to set my flair.
I do it like that and I don’t regret it though it is more work weeding.
My primary reason is that I live in an extremely rainy area and my garden is on a slight slope. I do t want all my dirt washing down the slope and I don’t want to be constantly gardening in a mud pit.
It also just looks so much nicer and greener than any other option. And it’s obviously cheaper than any other option.
The down side is that yeah grass will come up from under the beds. It’s more weeding. But I don’t mind the weeding. I like spending time sitting on a stool in the garden pulling weeds and picking off bugs. If you turn the beds deep every time you replant and cut any existing long roots it won’t be too overwhelming
Grass is a big resource hog. The roots creep underground and will find their way into your bed. Vegetables are princesses and do not handle competition well.
I left grass and it’s been fine. We just weedwhack every few weeks
I think it looks much better with a thick layer of chunky woodchips surrounding and in between the beds. It also prevents weeds, you don’t have to mow and if you do have to weed pulling them up is so easy.
https://preview.redd.it/sa1cw1lhmvog1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b72eade9758810b06eab56bb8f5237705be69940
For what’s its worth I decided to put down gravel around them so we wouldn’t track in so many grass clippings. It’s pretty easy to maintain and pull the weeds thay do sprout because of the layer of weed blocker.
Put quarter inch or half inch [galvanized steel hardware cloth](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Acorn-International-1-2-in-x-3-ft-x-10-ft-Hardware-Cloth/1001876682) on the bottom of your beds. Give yourself another foot of space in between each one.
Make the space wide enough for a push lawnmower. You’ll also be happier with more walking and working space between beds.
Don’t leave grass bare; line your beds and work on the borders using weed fabric, cardboard, gravel, etc. Also, give yourself more space between the beds.
More space between the beds! You’re gonna be miserable once they’re full
I have opened bottom raised beds. I need to weed whack around it then mow up to it.
My beds with plants prevent me from turning the mower the same as a fence would. I also sometimes hit plants if they’re spiling over
Just think about that. Like can that mower get between it? Will the handles be hitting something?