What ground cover should I use between raised beds?

We have built raised beds and would like to keep the weeds down between them. So far we have put down 2 layers of weed barrier, but there are differing opinions about what should go on top of them. Some people like pea gravel and others like bark.

In this area we have a steel mill and the city recycling place has slag for sale. It is cheaper than either of the other two options. I don't know if it is safe or not around a garden. I don't want any "bad stuff" to leach into my soil.

Can anyone tell me if slag would be safe or give other suggestions?

Looney - I don't know what slag is but I use straw as ground cover to control weeds. I lke the way it looks, it's cheap and will break down in the soil eventually. That's one idea. But make sure it's straw not hay. Hay has lots of seeds, straw does not.

GL and HTH
Mary

Thanks. So, do you put weed barrier under the straw? I do have a farm in Idaho. I could get some straw for free!!!!!

No, I have not done anything under the straw. But it's well traffic-ed.....back and forth, back and forth, all the time. It grinds it all down.

If your straw layer is thick enough it will tend to smother most weeds without a barrier underneath, unless you are plagued by deeprooted vegetation such as Johnson grass stolons. Also you can use.thick layers of newspapers (no slick paper ads) as a barrier then straw or lawn clippings on top. The newspaper will be very slow to degrade and can be depended on for a long time - I have some still in place after ten years.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will run this past DH. He gets to decide since he's the one with the muscles!

I used pea gravel on top of weed barrier and still get lots of weeds. Weed seeds land and germinate in the gravel. I think the straw would look nice as well. You can just keep adding more on top as needed.