5. Use Tarp to Cover Newly Dug Areas
Supplies required: black tarp
Making It: $30–$60*
In the garden, tarps can be a useful tool. For example, this plastic cover works well and is reasonably priced as a weed barrier. It can also be used, like landscaping fabric, as a soil cover. It may even help with soil fumigation, which is another benefit for controlling weeds.
Use a tarp to cover freshly dug areas. ©Shutterstock/Ratikova
You should make sure the tarp is black if you plan to use it as a permanent barrier. The dark hue will warm the soil by absorbing heat from the sun. The Washington Post claims that although weeds can germinate in these warm, humid conditions, their growth is impeded by the “absence of light.”