Help! Weeds get out of Control!

[pharmerphil]

I agree with pharmerphill, cardboard does last longer but the last couple of years I have been putting a thick layer of old newspaper in my pathways and then using compost as mulch around the plants.

When you put the newspaper down make sure that you use your garden hose and wet it down good so it doesn't blow away. I sometimes cover the newspaper with grass clippings, my son own's a Lawn Mowing service so I can get all the grass clippings I want. After I put the grass clippings down I try to keep them damp too.

Yes, that's the best thing I believe you can do MDCATRO..
I used to have a sickle bar mower, and I hooked up with a realator, kept his properties mowed down, and PILED grass in the walkways every season, had a wonderful garden every year.
I like the newspaper, we added straw or grass hay to cover the paper also.

[Starwynn]

I see some great advice here. Honestly, I use "intensive gardening" and companion planting to keep my weeds to a minimum, and watering to a minimum, too. I also do a lot of mulching with compost (or sometimes alfalfa hay depending on the plant) where there are gaps - that way I don't have many weeds. I only have had to week twice since we planted in early March, and my weeding too all of five minutes - probably a dozen little plants. I've done this before with intensive/block planting and had the same results, ironically also in another horrible drought year like we're having this year (worst since the 20's in Texas).