Ground cover around raspberries

[seniab]

The first thing I managed to get onto my new lottie at the tail-end of last year were some raspberry canes. I have 4 rows, about 15 feet long, with 6 foot or so between rows. At present the area between rows is bare earth, and whilst this wasn't a problem during winter, now the canes have started to grow, so have the weeds, and every time I'm down on the plot, I have to spend 10 minutes hoeing the bed when I could be digging more ground over for crops.

I understand that weeding is all part and parcel of gardening, but when it comes to raspberries I do feel a bit peeved that I have to spend time weeding an area I'm not growing on, just walking over. What would be the best way of covering the area. I do have access to bales of straw, and considered mulching around the canes and then expanding to cover the whole area, but i doubt the straw would stay there for long. Do any grapes have suggestions? Any groundcover would be nice, but I suppose that because raspberries are shallow rooting, anything i planted would be in competition with my crop, and therefoe reduce yields?

Cheers in advance...

[Madasafish]

Old leaves/mulch or chipped wood will work.
I plant lettuces along the south facing side of one row.. BUT got to be early sown as in summer it turns very dry and new rasps crowd them.

[Sue]

Hi
I'm planning on using newspaper, better than cardboard at fitting over the ridge then covering with mulch. It will also help keep the ground moist - if we ever get the ground dried out that is.
Sue

[SarzWix]

I was thinking about growing dwarf french beans in front of my raspberries this year, but I have enough room for more rasps to go in next winter (when I can afford or propagate them!) The beans will fix nitrogen in the soil which won't do the rasps any harm! If I don't do that I'll use cardboard covered with straw - the straw doesn't move much if you water it down.

[lainey lou]

I aquired a load of chipped wood from a friend and have put a nice thick mulch around mine. So far the only thing that has popped up is a stray tulip!

[Alison]

I've planted some lettuce in front of them the past few years and they've done OK although a bit slower than ones with more natural light.

[kentvegplot]

After HOURS with a hand fork last weekend getting out every blasted buttercup, I'm using cardboard for the larger 'bare' areas covered in straw/old hay and will be using grass clippings as well, (once it's dry enough to mow the lawn that is)

[Snadger]

I've recently planted some raspberry long canes I was given and filled an area 4 foot X 10 foot.
It's still bare soil at the mo but I thought about growing low growing Tagetes which are fairly drought tolerent, ornamental, attract hoverfles for pollination purposes and the foliage stinks so must repel something or other!