The sun over the last few days has made it good conditions to weed. I've spent a productive 2 hours removing everything from a 10 x 10 bed that has 6 rhubarb plants, 3 gooseberry bushes and a row of garlic.
But I still cant work out what I should do to keep the weeds away. It's too faffy to cut and lay criss-crossing strips of weed suppressant material. Leaf mulch either gets blown away over a few weeks or weeds start growing through it. I'm not keen on lettuce etc. which is usually the go-to crop for planting in-between. So, is it simply a question of re-weeding.
All helpful comments much appreciated.
Rhubarb: I would surround with wet cardboard, and top with a thick mulch of manure, it will love you for it.
Gooseberry bushes likewise, perhaps prune them so there is a clear stalk with branches off the ground first.
Garlic hates disturbance, I'd hand weed them then use grass clipping or straw to cover the ground between plants to help keep the dreaded weeds down...
Got rid of most of my weeds by continual mulching over the years (with well rotted manure and other stuff that stays put!) although that doesnt help you now!. I weeded most of my plot in a couple of hours last week but of course the bind weed and mares tail does still come through but I just hoe it off..
Gardening is 95% weeding even in a maintenance free? garden. Whistle while you work or have a good swear at them as you pull them. You cannot beat a hoe for getting rid of them.
Thanks to you all. Cardboard, manure and hoe are at the ready...although it's started raining again.
I used to have some fantastic plot neighbours who came down two or three of them most evenings quite late and hoed the entire plot. Most people never saw them and could not understand why they were weed free.