Author Topic: Use of membrane in the flower garden?  (Read 4541 times)

Hyacinth

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Use of membrane in the flower garden?
« on: August 26, 2005, 22:34:23 »
Since starting my gardening business this year, I've come across more & more 'garden makeover' gardens, originally beautifully (and expensively) laid out with pebbles, pots and 'water features' amongst the flower beds, which are now horribly weed infested ....

All these have heavily relied on the use of a membrane material before the pebbles, wood chippings, etc. have been put in place. 

And I now have to sort out the resulting mess of weeds which have either surface-rooted on top of the membrane and penetrated through it, or have emerged from underneath.  And it's a pig to do and I'm wondering about the long-term effect - seems impossible to be sure that all the roots are eradicated when one can't dig a clear area.

I know that membranes come in different weights, etc., but are they really any good, do you find, or are they, as I suspect, merely a quick-fix product of the instant garden makeover mentality?

I'd appreciate any thoughts or experiences, please, particularly of 4-5 years success with a membrane material.

Many thanks - Lishka


jennym

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Re: Use of membrane in the flower garden?
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2005, 01:09:45 »
I use Tenax Red Stripe around my fruit bushes and have found it to be very reliable - does not disintegrate, very hard wearing, stops weed growth, save time, looks smart.
It is one of the plastic woven types, fairly heavyweight and available from N.A.Kays Horticultural by mail order. They also do the pegs to fix it down with. 100 metres at 2 metres wide plus pegs cost me less than £90.

wardy

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Re: Use of membrane in the flower garden?
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2005, 10:06:24 »
I agree about the red stripe.  There is a white stripe one which is also good but you can tell the quality as compared with the flimsy material you get from B & Q  The price is a good indicator though as the Red stripe stuff is much dearer but it's what you need for the job.  I have an area on my back garden which has been under the red stripe (or white stripe) for 6 years (not got round to doing anything with it yet!) and nothing has grown through it.  Stuff grows on top of it but it's soon swept off.  I am using this on my allotment to clear all the weeds (some hope) and again it's been down since last November and nothing has grown through it.  The B & Q stuff has nettles growing through it.  the cheaper stuff might be fine for a short term job but not a permanent one.
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busy_lizzie

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Re: Use of membrane in the flower garden?
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2005, 10:35:09 »
Have to agree our cheap B&Q stuff was useless.  It totally disintergrated over time and had weeds growing through it and under it and intertwined, -  it was hopeless.  busy_lizzie
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beejay

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Re: Use of membrane in the flower garden?
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2005, 11:43:14 »
I have used the woven plastic stuff in my own garden & it is fine other than it does fray round where cuts have been made if not covered well. I have also used the cheaper fleece type in other gardens, again with no problems so far. What I do however is to make sure that any of the tough perennial weeds are eradicated before I put down any covering bacause I know what many of them can do. You also do have to keep any annuals weeded out of the top or they will gradually penetrate the material if left. The membrane does not mean no maintenance or lazy preparation I'm afraid, it is an aid.

KevB

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Re: Use of membrane in the flower garden?
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2005, 08:54:41 »
Hi Alishka
The membrane used by your "small garden centres" is very good, it has to be!! i bought a 1 metre x 100 metre roll for £40 after speaking to the owner of our local nursery who obtained it for me! and its still brilliant 4 years on!!
Good Squashing Kev
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RosieM

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Re: Use of membrane in the flower garden?
« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2005, 09:22:33 »
Hi all,


I planted up a 'low maintenance' gravel garden for my mother in her new house about six years ago.

She was desperate for a decent garden after living in flats for many years, and I knew she would not be able to maintain a garden dug out of meadowland by herself as she is a hundred miles away from me.

We used a medium range weed suppressing membrane and it has lasted well for the six years, it is now starting to become a problem, the couch can now easily push through. however it is far easier to weed than soil as the surface rooting weeds do not penetrate very far. The biggest problem has been weeds taking hold where plants have died off and left gaps in the membrane as well as plants with weeds in their pots when planted!

I have tried hard to instil a regime of not buying and planting willy nilly, but it is hard to resist in a good garden centre! Also, it is sad not to have as many bulbs as one would like - the more holes in the fabric the worse the problem.

However I don't regret building the garden, it has looked stunning over the years and given her a huge amount of pleasure - and still does even if there are a few more weeds poking through!

Unfortunately there seems to be a misconception that these are 'no' maintenance where they are probably 'low' or 'easier'. No maintenance would be concrete but even that needs sweeping!

 ::)

RosieM

 

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