Mulch

You have to use mulch. This can be grass clippings, hay, newspaper, old carpet or pulled out weeds. Anything that can keep the sun off the soil and break down and contribute to the condition of the soil is worth putting down. We have used all of the above, but by far the most effective was some old carpet, which not only broke down and kept the sun off, but it also made our weeding job much easier. If you don't have access to mulch, you can purchase some, or often there are free piles of grass clippings you can grab from around your neighbourhood.