I use cypress mulch, about 1-2" around the plants in question. Some seedlings of other plants grow through, just not the ones I wanted. But I don't know how long those seeds have been there or what random struggle they went through to be in contact with the ground or grow through the mulch. Although I had wanted automatic self-seeding (because that's what these plants had a reputation for, right?), I guess it never hit me to do manual seeding. I definitely can collect the seeds from the plants, but just never thought about throwing it under the mulch. Even with buying columbine seeds, I had not heard of the stratification until this year. I was always just planting it in spring since that is typically when people think to plant, and it just would not come up (even sitting another 1 year under the mulch) I guess it's an example of thinking so narrowly that the other easy solutions didn't even come up. Thanks for that idea. This post was edited by gardenper on Sat, Apr 26, 14 at 8:48

I found last year that the weeds grew right through the burlap and it was a pain cutting it to transplant tomatoes. Had to cover it with old hay. I did cover the raised beds and the roots of the raspberries (and canes of the Triple Crown blackberries) with new used coffee bags for winter. We didn't have an awful lot of snow, the berry canes look great, the burlap over the bare beds didn't decompose much and the bags over the berries not really at all. The shredded leaves under the burlap on the beds didn't decompose either, I guess b/c it has been so dry. Not many weeds either (some where corners of bags flipped up by wind and ground exposed), they were easy to pull but that could have been the dry weather too. The bags were great last year in heavy layers in the pathways though. I'm going to try to get more to smother the ragweed that is creeping into my tomato area - I think it came in with manure that was dumped outside the fence, but even a heavy application of woodchips didn't smother it last year, it just grew through them and I can't keep up with pulling it up (strong roots).

I never did start my carrots and radishes (my little garden helper baled on me multiple times, she was the one who wanted to plant carrots), but have a new concrete-block raised bed with nice deep soil/composted manure mixture DH built so I could throw in some leftover Sweet 100's, so will start the carrots there. I was going to cover the drip hose with burlap and hay anyway - could just go with burlap and them pull it off and do hay later. By the time the carrots are ready to pull, the tomatoes will be done so won't have to worry about disturbing the roots. Worth a try - thanks for the tip! BTW, I have used burlap as mulch (most of my raised beds are burlap covered with hay), and also used to cover a pile of chicken manure/litter. It reduces the weeds, but some stuff still manages to grow through it - including volunteer tomatoes in the manure pile. But I found when I was transplanting my tomatoes and peppers, the weeds that did germinate through it came up like ripping off a bandage when I pulled it up, and the ones that managed to grow underneath were pale and pulled easily.

Thanks so much calistoga, your input is valuable. I can see your point and why you are saying what you are. I appreciate very much the thought you put into your answer. Perhaps that would be best. However...I'd like to try with the burlap. I may be being foolish but do value the burlap (2 used coffee bags which is essentially 4 layers of burlap as recommended by the Interbay mulch system) not only for weed minimization but as the mulch to allow gentle watering of beds (even hard rains drip through slowly controlling washing) and keeps moisture levels even. So....I'd still like to try to germinate the seeds and use the burlap as mulch and not pull the burlap away. I may just be like the kid that has to learn the hard way but that acknowledged...it I still need advice on the seeds...my plan for the transplant is cut thru and plant.. BUT for the SEEDS....Would it be best to 1. plant the seeds under the burlap and cut a hole or slot or cross to allow the newly germinated seeds to continue with the burlap as their mulch 2. cut a cross or slot in the burlap, plant, and allow that to be the hole the seeds push through that 3. Cut a little hole where the plant goes and plant there like that The advantage of the first it seems to me would be protecting from washing away of the seed and I know some light gets through the burlap...I've also had one person suggest cutting a cross and pinning the flaps however which seems also to have advantages but a lot of work. Which method or variation do the experts here recommend....given I'd like to try this to retain what I consider to be the benefits of the burlap as mulch over straw and other options. HELP! It's almost time to plant. THANKS....