carpet your garden for a good mulch

by Darlene
(Hermiston, Or, USA)

We have been using old used carpet for about ten years now to keep weeds out and moisture in. We have very sandy soil and quite a bit of wind. We use goat manure to fertilize. The worms love the conditions.

I just cut a 3 inch square leaving one side attached and bend it under out of the way. (in case next year I don't want to grow anything in that hole I can pull it out from under and cover the ground.

I am 72 and have bad knees and back so I have a homemade scootalong made from lawnmower wheels and about 18 in by 2 feet and close to the ground to sit on and scoot along to plant my transplants in the holes or seeds, also for picking beans or whatever needs picking.

I have a small hole in one end that I can put an umbrella in to work out in the sun and get some protection. I leave enough room between the rows to run my scootalong. If I didn't have this arangement I wouldn't be able to have much of a garden.

We plant and grow everything we eat except for staples of course. I freeze , can and dry. The worms work the soil so it stays tilled and I never have to rototil.

When I want to put down manure I have to roll up the carpet out of the way and roll it back. It saves so much work not having to weed and the weeds are not stealing moisture and food from the plants.

The carpet will last for several years before it gets rotten and needs to be replaced. I just find friends that are taking out old carpet. I even have carpet in my greenhouse.

Some people may think it looks tacky but in my situations weeds are worse. I hope someone will find this helpful. Darlene