Topic: Planting Through... Advice

[MonsterMum]

I have strimmed down most of my lottie and had planned to plant through weed suppressant fabric on a couple of beds while I concentrate on clearing the rest of the plot.  I want to put the fabric directly over the weeds (couch grass etc) and plant through that and in 6 months hopefully these weeds will have died back, my question is will this work? 

If it will work what sort of things should I plant?  Will things like strawberries work, or should I stick to brassicas etc?

Any advice is very welcome  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

It should workbut you will get a small amount coming up through the holes, and whatever you plat needs to be able to cope with that. Strwberries might be a bit on the small size, but you could plant brassicas, squashes, anything large and strong-growing.

[Doris_Pinks]

I plant Sweetcorn through weed supressing membrane, get the odd bindweed climbing up my corn (Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!) but it does seem to do a great job of keeping the weeds down and the moisture in.

[supersprout]

Great going bbb. I'd add leeks to Robert's list.
As a no-digger, I'd also recommend:
Copious watering then layer of mulch and/or compost and/or well rotted manure on top of the weeds before you lay the plastic (this will condition the soil for when you remove it, and keep the plants happy)
Use a long handled bulb planter to dig the holes for the plants
Mark your paths and only tread on these areas - that way the soil in the bed areas 'loosens up' with the growing and is easier to work later.
 :)

[vaca]

This is my first year with the allotment and I didn't manage to clear it all up last winter so covered 2/3 of it in weed suppressing fabric. I have sweetcorn, pumpkin, courgettes, tomatoes, all my beans, strawberries and melons growing through holes. I'm basically growing everything through fabric except for potatoes, onions, garlic, shallots and carrots. And definitely reccomend strawberries, I ate my first 4 last weekend and were delicious ;D they were the sweetest I've tasted in a long time  ;D

Under the fabric I have couch grass and bindweed which always manages to find its way through the holes  >:( sometimes I find one trying to strangle one of my strawberry plants

I'm not sure that all the weeds will be dead though, I've had my entire plot covered since last august and the weeds are still making noise down below... but at least I can use the whole plot and maybe next year I'll weed out another 1/3 ....  I'll get there... someday


Vaca

[MonsterMum]

Brilliant! :D

I feel that it's only fair that I share the knowledge that Focus are doing weed suppressing membrane 1.5m x 8m with a 5 year guarantee £7.99 BOGOF

I bought 2 and now wish I'd got more  :-\

[BoardStupid]

My recommendation would be a builders merchants. You can buy 100sq metres of black membrane for putting under concrete for about £20. Put as much rich stuff on top of the weeds then you can then put spuds underneath. Once you see the foliage straining to get up then you cut a small cross and the plant will grow underneath. No need to earth up and once ready for harvest you just roll back the membrane. Real no dig spuds