Ready for planting? The area in question is, after all, a planting bed, despite the emphasis so far on weed control. But you'll be glad later on that you spent so much effort on weed control at the outset of the project. There's an old saying that seems particularly relevant here: "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
Having made an x-shaped incision in Step #8, I've created four flaps. I can simply lift and separate these flaps in order to access the soil for excavation. I recommend having a wheelbarrow or other container nearby, so that you don't have to shovel the excavated soil onto the landscape fabric. The less soil you get on the landscape fabric, the better, to minimize the potential for weed-seed germination later.
After the hole has been dug, install the plant. Fill the excavated soil back in around the plant, tamping down to reduce air pockets.
When you're done planting, the four flaps of cut landscape fabric are positioned tightly against the base of the plant. You're not left with any significant gap in the landscape fabric for weeds to exploit.
The mulch is then re-applied. In the photo, you'll see that I have begun scooping a bit of the newly re-applied mulch away from the plant's base. That's because allowing mulch to rest up against the trunk of my shrub would invite pests and diseases.
On Page 10 we see how the project looks when it's completed.
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