MOM Tip: Put newspaper over the dirt 3-4 pages thick and then cover it with mulch. The newspaper will prevent any grass and weed seeds from germinating, but unlike fabric, it will decompose after about 18 months. By that time, any grass and weed seeds that had been present in the soil will be dead. It’s green, it’s cheaper than fabric, and when you decide to remove or redesign the bed later on, you will not have the headache you would with fabric.
Click here for this tip from A Garden for the House.