Because of the drought here in the South East (hosepipe ban since August'05) I'm thinking of using the matting for weed control, the porous stuff and making holes for my plants to grow through. Has anyone else used this extensively and were there any problems?
I haven't, but I was going to try it with my squashes this year. I've grown potatoes under black plastic before and they did ok.
I'm using it on 1/2 of my plot. right now I just have strawberries, but plan on growing my tomatoes, sweetcorn, courgettes, pumpkins and possible beans all through the weed fabric. But it's my first time so can't say how well it's going to work - at least you're not alone :D
I did Courgettes under weed matting last year and it was great, kept the weeds at bay and had a brilliant crop. I did build up the areas where i was going to plant with plenty of compost beforehand.
If you mean Permealay, it grows the best crop of weeds you'll ever see.
Much taller than the dwarf beans I was growing. I showed pictures of it.
In the small print - of course - they do tell you to cover it with 1" of gravel or bark etc!!
I have tried both weed suppressing matting and black plastic.
What I found with the matting was you got what you paid for. After a discussion on the phone with a supplier I took his reccomendations on a type that was supposed to last ten years, I got two before the ultra violet rays rotted it, so beware of what you buy.
As you can see I use it on my Chrysant beds and strawberries both of which I grow under 'net' making it difficult to weed so the matting worked a treat.
Last year I left a piece of my allotment fallow, and covered it with black plastic. Having grown potatoes in this area the previous a few tubers that I failed to pick grew into some of the best potatoes I have tasted.
What I did was when I saw the tell tale hump indicating that something was growing I cut an X in the plastic and allowed the haulm to grow through.
What I found was the plastic sweats on the underside and this is sufficient moisture to bulk up the tubers.
(http://static.flickr.com/44/136424225_e51d274dd9.jpg?v=0)
(http://static.flickr.com/44/136424226_203418f3a5.jpg?v=0)
Do you market the Chryanths?
Quote; Do you market the Chryanths?
No! I find it is not worth the hassle, I have found that there are too many people wanting something for nothing.
Plus I have lost out too many times, the old ruse, I don't have any money with me, can you give me a bunch, and I will pay you the next time I see you
Then because I didn't have the courage to ask for my money the next time I see them, I lose out. Sad isnt it? but why should I have to ask ?
So I am quite happy to let them go for free to family, friends. & charities.
Up to a few years ago I grew them for exhibition and needed a lot to choose from, at my peak I grew around 240 plants, this year I am cutting back to 60 rather than give up, and this is simply because I still get a lot of pleasure from growing them
Hello and welcome Bernardh, lots of people here seem to plant thru weed suppressing fabric and like Tee Gee would speak highly of the method both for weed control and for maintaining soil moisture.
You can do a search on this forum (second button along at the top: try 'weed fabric' for starters) and see the various suggestions and comments on this topic in recent threads.
Try this for starters :):
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,57/topic,17722.0
You might also search under 'mulch' and 'hosepipe ban', A4a-ers have been exchanging lots of ideas for conserving water in the soil in recent threads.
Good luck, and happy gardening ;D
A few years ago we did plant/grow caulis, calabrese, cabbages etc thru black weed suppressant fabric and tho it was pretty effective we found the cost to be high and having holes already cut in it it wasn't much use the next year unless you planted at the same spacing etc! Do use it for paths tho.......
Fascinating, all this - if everyone else has success with it, why did I have to bin a 50' row of beans which were overcome with weeds? Ina would remember the photos. Shame she's so 'taken up' these days??
I have mentioned this subject before, and for a brief description of my method, go to http://web.onetel.net.uk/~davesherriff and then to the Organisation page.
It works best if you have already taken out most of the perennial weeds.
I think there is, as Tee Gee indicates, a lot of difference in the types of weed suppressant "fabric" on the market. I believe Tee Gee's picture shows the sort that is like a woven plastic, almost like a type of canvas. I use this sort around my fruit bushes to keep the weeds at bay, and when I bought it the label said Red Stripe. It seems strong, and has done the job.
There are also types that are generally labelled as landscape fabric. I believe that Permealay is really one of those, sort of a spun, bonded, fine fabric, and I only used this sort once as it didn't do what I wanted. Its probably ok for a base liner for gravel or bark chippings, but not on its own.
Tried to show a picture of the texture of the one I use but its not very clear I'm afraid:
Just a short note to all who have replied to my question - Thanks - :D I am now encouraged and will give it a go. Perhaps at the end of the year I will let you know how I got on. Again thanks everybody
Permealay.
I have to repeat that it grew the best weeds I've seen Like a greenhouse!
The beans were scrap.
Friends of the family had the front garden of their care home re-landscaped and had weed supressing fabric laid, with holes cut in for shrubs and then gravel over the top. What do you know, this spring, a fab show of tulips and daffs all poked their way through the fabric, all bulbs that must have been left behind when the landscapers cleared the area! Didn't do a very good job did they!!
Hi,
I use black, permeable, woven ground cover, I'm guessing it's the same sort of thing as jennym mentioned. It's worked wonders with suppressing weeds... the ground had been left fallow for years was knee-high when rotavated. I put the ground cover on half of the plot and nothing on the other, not wanting to be too excessive, but wish I had have covered most of it now! The area with nothing is now knee-high again, whereas the ground beneath the cover is weed-free, minus a few thistles here and there. I'm quite sure that not all the weed roots are dead and they'll probably go great guns now that they'll get the light, but it feels easier to manage. I have also planted strawberries through them and they seem quite happy. Agree with what someone else said though, once you cut holes you'll either need to plant in the same places or cover the holes with something.
The only real disadvantage I've found is that the edges fray... does anyone else have this problem or a solution?! Many thanks.
Was there a maker's name, CC?
The Beechgrove garden, a BBC gardening program, certainly watchable in Scotland and maybe further afield, is carrying out trials with groundcover fabrics for weed suppression and planting the crops through the fabric.
They have started the trial, and will be showing the results throughout this growing season.
Five years ago I bought a couple of rolls - brand unknown - from my local DIY Superstore. I used it to cover a patch of ground which I wanted to use as a shrubbery.
When I left the house a year ago, there was still no sign of weeds, except around the edges, and some easily removed ones coming up alongside the shrub stems.
I covered all the fleece with two inches of bark, and what I DID find was that an overhead sycamore tree dropped its keys on the mulch, and these seeded between the bark & the mulch, but having nothing to grip on to, were easily removed by picking off.
JeremyB
I believe the brand I bought was called Tenax Redstripe.
Erm, there was a thread on fraying membrane a while back :-[
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,57/topic,12630.msg117869#msg117869
Quote from: tim on April 30, 2006, 19:38:31
Was there a maker's name, CC?
Yes, sorry tim... here is the link:
http://www.tildenet.co.uk/acatalog/Geo_Textiles_and_Weed_Barrier.html
This was also the cheapest I've ever seen on the web. Hope that helps.
So, CC - are you getting the ironing board out then?
Thanks jennym for the link, just read through it... my gosh, you are committed or crazy, just can't work out which yet, lol. ;)
I wonder if I could take supersprout's tip of the blow torch and apply it at the edges to seal it... don't like to think though until I try it on a scrap piece first!!!
Actually the end of a cigarette does very well too - not that I smoke nowadays, but that was a good excuse!