DEFENSE AGAINST UNDER-FENCE JUNGLE

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

THE ANSWER IS CONCRETE
Now that plank—with its wood-preservative protection—is a pretty darn effective weed-stopper . . . but I wanted a permanent solution to the problem, so I decided to pour a concrete edging. In the next post-to-post section, then, I dug a trench 10" wide and 4" or 5" deep (about the same depth as a sidewalk pour). Then I built a form by placing two thin boards—each 5" wide and 10 feet in length—along the sides of the hole, and layering the bottom with small stones.

The concrete was mixed—in a wheelbarrow right at the site—in proportions of 1 part of cement to 3 parts of sand to 5 parts of gravel, and topped off with enough water to make a fairly sloppy mix. I poured the damp aggregate into the form, tamped it down with a rake, and evened it out with a short board. Finally, to insure a slow, smooth set, I covered the concrete with plastic for three days. When the garden edger was firm, I removed the boards and filled in around the sides of the slab with soil.

I've found that this permanent border is every bit as effective (and, of course, long-lasting) as I'd hoped it would be. It allows plenty of room for the mower to pass along its outer edge, and I can run the garden tiller right up alongside its inner border . . . without battling a thick thatch of weeds and vines!

TAKE ACTION!
Anyone who's tired of hassling with an overgrown strip at the edge of hit or her garden plot might want to consider pouring a concrete border, too. When dealing with under-fence jungle, it's true that the best defense is a good offense!

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print