There are many products available depending on what you are trying to achieve. I favor the biodegradable fabrics and papers, of which there are several, to plastic ones, but durability must be a part of the equation for most people, so plastics remain popular. You can find it in rolls in the gardening section at most big box hardware stores and garden centers, I like FEDCO because they're an independent Maine co-op that tries to keep prices low and focuses on ecologically responsible products. You can, however occasionally find a good buy at fabric remnant stores, and carpeting stores often have rolls of old carpet or underlayment that has been removed when new is installed that they will gladly give you. Carpeting is not always ideal - it may be treated with flame retardant, rubberized, or peed on - but for serious weed suppression it is very effective and affordable. Just be sure to remove it, or any plastic, before it begins to break down. Also, many of the big box stores have rolls available at reduced prices in fall and winter; for people with large areas to cover and a little storage space, it makes sense to stock up. Larger agricultural suppliers actually offer rolls as wide as 40', which makes covering large areas much easier (with a few extra bodies to help) and reduces the number of pins needed to hold it in place. In addition to weed suppression fabrics help to conserve moisture and wrm the soil. In some cases, you may need to add a light colored mulch on top of the fabric for crops that prefer a cooler environment, and for aesthetic reasons you may want to top it with a more natural looking mulch as well, With plastic-based mulches, covering has the added benefit of educing he damage done by the suns' UV rays, thus prolonging its useful life. Aside from looks and the whole plastic problem, fabric ground covers can also be a haven for unwanted guests - snakes (which I actually welcome, though many gardeners don't) and rodents in particular. Here is a link that might be useful: Garden fabric

Nothing fancy! Yes that is a trellis for the green beans, I let the peas go up first , then there pretty much done in a month, the green beans will smother it.. Im growing.. 1. Shelling Peas "frosty" 2. Pole Green Beans Blue Lake and Kentucky Wonder 3. 3 types of cucumbers... 4. 2 types of zucchini Black Beauty and a yellow, which name escapes me.. 5. A miniture pumpkin for the kids "jack be little" 6. 4 packages of simpson lettuce , outrageous and another loose leaf I got in a trade, that isnt what they said, spinich, swiss chard 7. Tomatoes, Big Boy, Early Girl , Celebrity, a couple of Trudies wintersown eastern european imports (I cant remember thier name, I cant even pronouce them.. though I have it written down) 8. Northstar peppers 9. Cilantro and parsely.. I used to have a bigger garden in my old place and would try watermelons and some fancy stuff like tigger melon .. It would have to expand some more to try melons again...Ive also done alot of the fancy beans, like fortex etc.. but found that the expense of them, wasnt always worth the cost of them, vs having plain old green beans, which I like , taste similiar and heck of alot cheaper! Silverkelt

I don't mean to be disagreeable, but I first learned about Jimsonweed through an article in the Reader's Digest, around 1980. A whole family had become violently ill after eating garden tomatoes for dinner. An investigation revealed that Jimsonweed growing in the garden had crossbred with the tomatoes. Their fruit was highly poisonous! I am here this evening because my husband asked me about a large weed that had sprung up on the edge of our tomato patch and, Googling it, I found it to be Jimsonweed! I will assume that, as it is the first specimen to grow in my garden, it has not had an opportunity to cross-pollinate or graft, but I will call the cooperative extension tomorrow, just to be on the safe side. Cowthree, I see that this post is at several years old. Did you ever have any further issues?

I've been picking away at the veggie garden over the last week or two. The direct-sown peas haven't sprouted yet - soon, I hope. I've plopped out some of my wintersown Buttercrunch, Romaine, and Red Sails lettuce, as well as some ws German chamomile. I've planted out about 250 onion plants I ordered from Dixondale Farms this year. Now I'm starting in on the potatoes - about 2 pounds planted, about 8 more to go! Have several varieties of hardneck garlic coming up from a November planting, and a big bed of shallots because we love cooking with them. As always, I've rather underestimated the amount of room things are going to need. But that's a great excuse to start making more beds! I've got 2 tiny little two-day-old Stupice tomato sprouts - still waiting on all the other varieties. Lots of ws herbs, flowers, greens, and other goodies still to go out. They're awfully small, but my first couple transplants are very happy, so I'll step up the planting-out phase soon. My resolution this year is to keep a faithful garden journal, so that next year I'll remember what sprouted when, and what I learned from my mistakes (of which there are always plenty). I'm also doing a lot of reading about what to plant to attract specific beneficial insects, and which companion plants help repel certain pests. Dh and kids think my obsessive bug research is a little odd. Oh, well... they're probably right! I wish you well in your veggie garden endeavors. I'll be thinking of you as I putter about in mine! Maybe if you put a bed of your favorite perennials (or annuals or herbs or whatever your favorite is!) in your veggie garden, you'll visit it more often and have more fun while you're there. You'll also have fewer pests, since the flowers will attract beneficial bugs to help control the bad bugs... Nightingale :o)