>>2460302mulch
or just get a square of fabric and cut holes in it with a knife to make room for planting. It wont completely stop weeds, but should stop 99% or so, I guess. I have a lot of couch grass that spreads rhizomes under the couple of mats at my place, even if the grass itself only pops up on the edges of the mat. It should still allow water to pass though as well as any water soluble fertilizer. Depends on the grade. Some swell up or get filled with sediment over time, others will rot over a period of years.
drop a newspaper in a bucket of water and spread out the wet sheets over your bed if you want a cheap alternative.
