The physics of soil hydrology are radically different between containers and gardens or raised beds. Raised beds have a never-ending wick to pull water from soils, or water flows laterally with the help of gravity to keep the soil in a permanently unsaturated state. In containers, downward water flow stops when it hits the container bottom and when soils are comprised of fine particles with tiny air spaces, water perches in a column at the bottom of the container or above coarse drainage material. (More on that in the link below.) Soils don't technically fatigue in containers like they do in beds or gardens. If we do not replace organic matter in our garden soils, they fatigue & become less favorable culturally. In containers, we grow in a near all-organic mixes (most often). They don't fatigue like mineral soils, but they do fail structurally. Large particles become smaller with age. They hold more water and less air. It's possible that a soil can be fine for a mature planting with roots fully colonizing the container, but a death sentence for anything over-potted. You should choose a container soil that will retain air for the expected life of the planting. When it stops retaining air, many will tell you that they rejuvenate it with the addition of "fresh ingredients". There may be some temporary truth to this, but imagine this: Compare a collapsed soil to pudding (made with water). They both hold too much water and too little air for plants to grow with vitality. Can we amend the pudding with an ingredient, the primary function of which is to increase aeration (perlite) to make the pudding a desirable medium? Why then, would we use things like collapsed soils or compost, amended with perlite & expect good results? So - soil fatigue in in situ soils can be corrected with the addition of organic matter. Soil collapse in containers is a structural issue & needs addressing via a different avenue. The best way is to replace the soil with a mix that guarantees good aeration and insures structural stability. I would turn the soil in your barrels into the raised beds fairly regularly, where they will be a welcome & wonderful addition, & start with a fresh soil in the barrels. Al Here is a link that might be useful: More info

I feel your pain. I gave up my glorious poppy bed to get the jump on the young green weeds in hopes that this is the year my old garden rose bed will reach its potential. Had I let the poppies bloom and mature and make seeds [on into May], I would have been overwhelmed with weeds. Not this year! I have been digging out crepe myrtle stumps that I allowed to get too big last year, pulling these noxious type of weeds that really get a roothold if you allow them to mature. I work on it daily and its coming along nicely. I am transplanting thugs like Sir Thomas Lipton that got too big in their spot and am about to start the fun part setting roses in their spots that I have purchased. I used a big straight edged hoe that is heavy - it skims the surface and scoops the young weeds out. Once I get the roses in place, I will carefully handspray roundup on the tiny ones. Then will put about 3" of good mulch on the whole bed and nab weeds as they poke their heads up. At least this is the plan!! Good luck with your weeding! Judith

If you google for 'German Garden Style' or 'Italian Garden Style' or insert any other country, you may find some interesting concepts. "...the core of it had been planted in rhythmic repetition over a stony soil surface, but this time in a gentle medley of colors: blue flax, violet salvias, yellow Phlomis russeliana, and, in partnership with the magenta balls of Allium rosenbachianum, a variety of bearded irises in lemon, purple, cream, and copper. Many plants had already flowered, but clearly there was much still to come. In fact, I was told, the garden was programmed to climax every three weeks! (I have since been back both in July and September, and can confirm it.)" -- Stephen Lacy, writing in Horticulture Magazine, 2003, about "New German Style" gardens. Flickr has more than 500 photos of 'French Gardens.' Brazilian Gardens, I think of Roberto Burle Marx. I have a book featuring some of his designs. I even found an article on 'Alaskan Gardens' -- yet another cottage garden in a cold climate, featuring irises, peonies and other goodies. I stopped at Portuguese Gardens, thinking Eduarda can better inform about such, since she's there. Curiously, many links take you to 'Italian Gardens' and 'French Gardens' and other types -- in the UK! Maybe somebody could should a thread on 'elements of different garden styles.' Nell

I started using the extra shingles the roofers left behind. NOTHING has grown thru them yet. Something may creep over the top but that gives me time to get to it BEFORE it gets into the beds. When I see another area, I pick a few up and move them over the top of the new area. Overlapping them helps alot. My pathways in between beds are pretty well under control using leaves, leaves, and more leaves, each year. The weeds that do sprout are easily removed. Pine needles last longer but I have put down leaves every fall for quite a few years now. The leaves seem to attract lots of earthworms and keep some moisture in. The roots of the weeds just seem to grow INTO the landscape fabric making them even harder to remove, so I stopped using that stuff. Hope that helps, Gumby_CT