WEEDLESS Gardening

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Spread the paper blanket over the whole planting area. A four-layer thickness of newspaper, or a single layer of landscape barrier paper or building paper, generally does the job, but adjust the number of layers according to how vigorously you expect existing vegetation to resprout. A lush hayfield will need a thicker layer. Make sure to overlap the edges of the paper, or sprouts will wend their way up to the light. As you lay it down wet the paper to keep it in place.

One of the great appeals of weedless gardening is the ease and speed with which you can get plants up and growing.

A SUITABLE MULCH will keep your carefully laid paper from blowing away, or curling up and letting weeds peek through. Which mulch you should choose depends on what you're going to do with a particular area, what you have on hand and how you want the ground to look.

The time to lay beds and paths out is before covering the paper. Use stakes and strings, or a sprinkling of dark soil or compost, to delineate these areas. Once boundaries are marked, an easy way to lay down a crisp, straight line of mulch is by setting an eight- or 10-foot-long 2-by-4 board on edge at one boundary. Apply mulching material right up to and against the board, then move it into position for other boundaries and fill in the middles.

Nutrient-rich compost or grass clippings are the mulches of choice for vegetable beds. You also can use other weed-free, organic materials like straw or leaves.

For your paths, you can choose a permanent mulch such as gravel, flagstone, crushed oyster shells or bricks. Organic materials that work well on paths include wood chips, straw, sawdust, leaves and pine needles. A living option for paths is lawn grass, which you can plant or, if present already, simply leave in place uncovered when you ready the site for planting. Make sure the grass is a noninvasive sort, then keep it mowed and edged. The " Mulch Guide " below summarizes the pros and cons of common mulching materials

Any organic materials, whether used to cover planting or walking areas, should be applied one- to three-inches deep.

EXCEPTIONS TO TOPDOWN BEGINNINGS

Although no-till weedless gardening techniques fit every garden situation, there are some sites that may need a thorough, initial digging or rototilling - usually just once. Afterward basic weedless gardening practices apply.

Acid Balance Digging becomes necessary when soil acidity is out of balance. Limestone and sulfur, used to make soil less or more acidic, work their way through the soil slowly. If a quick change in acidity is needed, mix either of these materials into the top six-to-12 inches of soil.

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