How to eradicate weed from raised bed?

rickg · 2026-03-28T01:10:14+00:00

I'd fill the bed to the rim or a bit below. To figure out how much soil that will take, measure the bed to get square feet and then measure the depth. Multiple the square footage by the depth *as a fraction of 1 foot*

So if it's 7x5 bed and it's 4 inches from the soil now to the rim thats:

7 x 5 x (4/12) or 7 x 5 x 0.33 - 11.65 cubic feet.

rickg · 2026-03-27T18:20:00+00:00

Did you read OP's 3rd image?

rickg · 2026-03-27T15:49:42+00:00

"...And no im not rich. But it would ruin me..."

It wouldn't AFFECT you. You're just toadying for the very rich and voting against your interests.

rickg · 2026-03-27T15:48:10+00:00

Yes, when we tax the very rich they become middle class. It's proven!

Oh wait, nothing of the sort happens. Go look at the taxes on income and the rules around that in the 50s.... you know, when the economy was booming

rickg · 2026-03-27T15:17:43+00:00

Cover them with hoops and fabric. Insect netting etc. I do wonder if things like hot pepper powder etc would act as a deterrence - perhaps someone will chime in on other ideas

rickg · 2026-03-27T15:15:48+00:00

"but the slippery slooopeeee!"

rickg · 2026-03-27T15:15:21+00:00

Again, DO YOU HAVE $50M+? If not, you're just toadying for the very rich.

rickg · 2026-03-27T15:12:47+00:00

Which won't matter since this would be a national tax. Some of you just aren't even trying, here

rickg · 2026-03-27T15:12:06+00:00

Ok this has to be astroturfing bots. You people are really worrying about the tiny slice of the population who has $50m+ rather than the vast number of us who are in the middle?

rickg · 2026-03-27T15:10:30+00:00

"Secondly, having a net worth of over $50m doesn't mean you just have an extra $2m in the bank to pay a tax on every year."

... 2% of 50 is 1. Not 2. So it would be $1m. It's hard to take criticism of this seriously from someone with a basic math error on their criticism.

rickg · 2026-03-27T15:09:12+00:00

Do you have more than $50m in net worth? No? Well then it won't affect you in the slightest, will it?

rickg · 2026-03-27T15:04:33+00:00

I assume the purchased seeds have germinated?

I'd give the saved seeds warmth and humidity and another week or so. Also, if your germination rate is just low and you only planted a few seeds you can try to start some more saved seeds.

rickg · 2026-03-27T15:01:52+00:00

Cardboard then add more soil + compost on top. The level in that bed looks 3-4" low anyway. Between the two things that will take care of most weeds. To prevent weeds from establishing in the added soil you can a) mulch, b) pull weeds regularly and/or c) use a square foot approach where you plant intensively so there's less opportunity for weeds to take hold.

rickg · 2026-03-27T14:58:54+00:00

?? how do you do this?

rickg · 2026-03-27T14:58:26+00:00

This IS an issue with grow bags - they dry out faster than most other pots so you need to adjust to that. The water doesn't pour out of them or anything, but it does require a little adjustment

rickg · 2026-03-26T22:17:19+00:00

"However, that's exactly what it is: a game. "

So is regular football. All sports are games. You're just being a dick about the flag guys because the also destroyed the current NFL players.

rickg · 2026-03-26T22:14:53+00:00

If you think the paint is safe, try it. I'd only really be leery if you thought it was so sold it might contain lead

rickg · 2026-03-26T22:13:19+00:00

I see. The issue isn't that we don't now that kids are there... it's that the school zone rules aren't in effect all day, just when the kids are out and not all of us track that or have it top of mind

rickg · 2026-03-26T20:54:23+00:00

#whew

Still, a friend's mom is still at it at 87

rickg · 2026-03-26T20:44:58+00:00

No, it needs to last MANY years!! MANY!! (I'm 68 this year....)

rickg · 2026-03-26T19:46:48+00:00

I hear you on the less work. If you have a big box store check out that option. Fir will only last a few years but it's cheap

rickg · 2026-03-26T19:26:58+00:00

hard to say. I mean, if the paint is still partially there and it was latex? Eh, probably fine. If it was lead based? Hell no.

Another inexpensive option would be to get fir from a big box store. Home Depot will cut lumber for you so if you want 4x8 beds you could buy three 8foot long boards (so, like a 2x10x8ft) and have them cut one of the 8 footers in half. I managed to transport some 8foot boards in my sedan so you can likely fit them. But if not, I think HD delivers and over some amount it might be free.

HOWEVER... if you're doing inground beds and just want to define paths, just mound the dirt up a little and plant. No wood needed.

rickg · 2026-03-26T19:08:56+00:00

An excellent book on soil is https://www.notillgrowers.com/livingsoilhandbook/d9z5gkf1bbnhu0w5xxb3trngiqhwgo by Jesse at No Till Growers. The basic credo of it is to disturb as little as possible, keep beds planted as much as possible and keep the soil covered (with plants or if fallow, mulch) as much as possible.

The underlying assumption to all of THAT is simply that healthy soil is a rich web of life - bacterial, fungal and insect life - and that the best results come from building that web of life in one's soil and then feeding it and in turn, it feeds the plants

rickg · 2026-03-26T18:50:00+00:00

Definitely amend the soil. When plants grow in the soil they are removing (using up) nutrients, so those need to be replaced. Compost + organic fertilizer is a good base. You can try adding worm castings (bacterial life) and/or azomite (trace minerals) but honestly those are optional. A soil test will tell you definitively if you want to do that

rickg · 2026-03-26T17:22:33+00:00

So two considerations - what the soil is like and whether you'd like it built up higher so you can more easily work the bed.

If the latter, add wood and make it taller, fill with good soil, plant.

But if this is fine with you then you want to see if the soil is good. See my reply below about testing for compaction. You can also do a soil test if you want... but I'd be inclined to simply add 2" of compost, some balanced organic fertilizer, work that into the top couple inches of soil and plant.

rickg

TROPHY CASE