[PipKelpy]

Well, this has been a unique year! Normally I would lug muck from housed cattle and lambing ewes in December, Chuck on garden, watch rot down, sow in spring, eat eat and eat!

My 2 long raised beds, 22ft long, 1 is 6ft wide, the other is 4ft ish (wider one end than the other, just slightly!) are not going to be getting the above this year due to lack of muck (by choice) which means the rampant squashes have been replaced with rampant weeds!

I have looked into no dig by that Charles guy but I don't have the cardboard. I have looked online about buying some but the price is astronomical for the thickness I will need.

So, was wondering, has anyone used the black haylage wrap off the round bales to kill the weeds and then pull off when ready to put the compost on?

[Rupert the bear]

Oh no no no no, more bleeding plastic to clear up and dispose of later on.
Bale wrap is way too thin ( and expensive ) to use as a weed blocker, I tried it with wrap when we made haylage, green and black wrap, no matter how much it was secured down the wind would rip it up or the birds would peck at it.
Then if that wasn't enough I would end up collecting it from around the croft after a good blow.
A heavy tarpaulin is a better bet , today I was covering a patch for next spring with a 4m x 5m 300gsm tarp its black on one side and silver on the other , I have set it silver side up for now and in the spring will reverse it to warm the soil.  Its heavy enough to stay in place with a few rocks and canes trough the eyelets, best of all I can re use it instead of ending up with a ball of expensive ( to purchase and dispose of ) film 

[Steph Hen]

I know lockdown changes things, but once it’s over can’t you get some cardboard free? Lidl up here let’s us take used boxes away; just need to chose ones without plastic. Shops that sell furniture or large things are good to ask too. Though a lot of places aren’t selling so much some are pleased to get rid of it.

You do need to put something on the cardboard to kill everything; eg. compost if it’s a bed, wood chip for paths or around perennial plants. Cb by itself will block most grassy weeds but docks, dandelions, nettles, ivy, will punch through it unless it’s got a layer above as well. Some people use landscape fabric. It’s woven, doesn’t block out all light or weeds but will kill off grass. Carpet works but watch out of it degrading into soil unless it’s all natural fibre.

[macgro7]

Heavy tarpauline or builders black plastic are the best choice. Weigh it down with tires or whatever you have lying around.

[doganjo]

I know lockdown changes things, but once it’s over can’t you get some cardboard free?

You do need to put something on the cardboard to kill everything; eg. compost if it’s a bed, wood chip for paths or around perennial plants. Cb by itself will block most grassy weeds but docks, dandelions, nettles, ivy, will punch through it unless it’s got a layer above as well.

When I moved here a year ago I needed to fence off some of the ground (which was neglected field grass, so all sorts of weeds in it) to keep my dogs in, then to make it a pretty back garden I bought off the shelf raised beds (from a Diy place we all know  )  I strimmed the grass etc as best I could (I'm 76!), and put two layers of cardboard over it, recycled packing boxes and from new white goods etc and free from that diy store; then covered it with a layer of topsoil from the local council, followed by a layer of compost.  Lockdown then arrived and being shielded I couldn't go anywhere - so I enlisted my daughter and son and friends to buy anything tehy could from local supermarkets. - and it all grew.
My sweet peas, rudbekia and cosmos are still flowering.  This is a photo from early on in the year. 

NO PLASTIC!
Tarps are good but need to be removed and washed fro use elsewhere when needed.

This works!