Weed control fabric

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Chickybaby

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Weed control fabric
« on: August 28, 2007, 16:58 »
Hiya
Having recently taken over an allotment I'm thinking of using weed control fabric on my allotment, the one you can plant through, and I was wondering if it is any good? My allotment is prone to weeds, and as I work full time, I'm trying to think of ways to cut down on the workload. Every time I visit the allotment I spend ages just weeding and I imagine it can become a bit sole destroying after a while! Any advice/recommendations will be welcome as I am a complete newbie to this allotment lark.

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ACatCalledElvis

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Weed control fabric
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2007, 17:49 »
i've tried a fair few getting my lotty in control - you get what you pay for - from a single sheet of plastic to a 10 year lasting membrane - I would pay as much as you can, but most will breakdown in a year, so go for the long lasting stuff.

weed stuff works but only over a long time - 6 months minimum to 2 years - points from my experience -

I would still dig perenial weeds first - esp brambles - they will do their best membrane or not, maybe even glysophate first as well
Look at your edges - wind will do its best to get under and fly off the membrane
Look at the edges for maintenance - make it easy - this is where the weeds will gather - the bit between the membrane and the path or whatever because you can't easily strim it etc
Membranes are slug hotels - take anti slug actions planting anything, and keep it up - esp when wet.
Depending what you are planting - bear in mind how to water when drought (remember them?)

Hope these quick thoughts help!!

E
Be Reasonable Demand the Impossible

Organic as much as my plot neighbours allow

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fatbelly

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Weed control fabric
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2007, 20:03 »
Hiya Cb,
I got my plot in May this year and I was in a similar position to yourself.
I have learnt that with Weed Membrane you get what you pay for.
In June I purchased some cheap membrane from Tesco's and it was a waste of money, the weeds loved it and they just kept on growing . The membrane didn't cut enough light out so the weeds just kept on going.

A month ago a friend got me some thicker stuff and it is working wonders, its really doing the job the weeds are all dying and it is so much easier to dig over.

Whatever route you take keep going and don't give up and you will get rewards. I work full time so it has taken me time to get my plot in order. But it is now taking shape and beginning to look good.
99% Organic and 1% Slug Pellets.

Allotment holder since 27th May 2007.

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richyrich7

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Weed control fabric
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2007, 20:53 »
Hiya Chickybaby welcome to the forum  :D

Like everyone says you get what you pay for, you can also use black plastic sheeting bought on the roll, cardboard covered with something :lol: ask Whisky He'll know, or even newspaper.
He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.

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loubylou29

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Weed control fabric
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2007, 09:24 »
Just wrote a massive reply... and lost it, I'm very hacked off!!


Anyway I looked around, I am in same position as you. Screwfix is V. expensive but says it lasts.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=10103&cm_re=SEARCHPROMO-_-WEED%20FABRIC-_-10103&ts=74219

I found
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-25mx11m-WEED-CONTROL-LANDSCAPE-FABRIC-100-GSM-PRO_W0QQitemZ290153395395QQihZ019QQcategoryZ75584QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It is the same weight 100g/sm and Loads cheaper. dunno about rot proof though. I didn't pay postage as my in laws live in Boston so they collected for me.
I got it back and have laid it on the paths I have spent all year weeding, getting very frustrated. I have used double thickness as the weave isn't as tight as I'd like (or that I have in a piece of fabric given to me by the steward and she doesn't know what that is!) so I have used double thickness and then put woodchip over them.
on the half the plot I have covered in underlay etc. which was breaking down I have replaced with laying cardboard to encourage seeds to rot and worms to dig and cast for me! and covered the card with the fabric. this land will be used in the next year or 2.

I feel much more on top of things and more positive about next year. but we'll see. I am shocked to hear people experiencing the fabric breaking down after a year Yikes  :shock:

Previously with the underlay I used the wilkso stuff which is such a waste of time, no ood at all, untill we lay card under it to stop the light, even the where the foxes walked it was torn up.... rubbish!!!


anyway welcome, and let us know what you do!

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Trillium

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Weed control fabric
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2007, 15:39 »
I throw my lot in with the rest - you get exactly what you pay for. What I find has helped my costs is to split open empty feed bags (some sort of plastic mesh) and put them under the weed barrier. They take the worst of walking abuse and are more weed resistant. The barrier on top creates the darkness and looks better. Old carpeting turned upside down on paths will cut a lot of costs in that particular area.  :D

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Babycat

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hello
« Reply #6 on: August 29, 2007, 16:13 »
I will follow this with interest as we are clearing our plot at the moment but I am not planning on planting through membrane, just using something for cover over winter for now.

FYI - we are not allowed to use any form of carpets in my council as they wreak havoc with tillers and rotovating equipment when the council clear plots for new owners.

x Gina
"This too shall pass"  King Solomon

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blue_cortina

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Re: hello
« Reply #7 on: August 29, 2007, 17:01 »
Quote from: "Babycat"

FYI - we are not allowed to use any form of carpets in my council as they wreak havoc with tillers and rotovating equipment when the council clear plots for new owners.
x Gina


Same here with our council plot

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weeeed

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Weed control fabric
« Reply #8 on: September 02, 2007, 18:36 »
Hi there and welcome. I have just bought weed membrane with a 25 year gurantee to go under my fruit cage etc, however I have also just bought a load from the £1 shop to stop weeds coming through in places which I'm not ready to plant in yet. I would say cheap is good for short time and pay out for long term. Good luck. :)  :wink:
I know less today than I did yesterday, and I knew nothing then!

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IvanAllotment

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Weed control fabric
« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2007, 08:56 »
Hi, I tried the £1 shop stuff as a quick measure whilst I tried to work out what to do next. I used tent pegs to anchor it and stones all around the edges. The whole lot was in ribbons in about 4 weeks ;-( It looks as if you still get what you pay for . . .
It is always easy - when you know how.

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muntjac

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Weed control fabric
« Reply #10 on: September 03, 2007, 09:13 »
make up a sprayer of round up .when you visit the allotment just spend  a few mins spraying off the heavy bits .this will help no end and give you more time to work on the other .turning the ground over works fine but it also throws up loads more seeds to cause you back ache
still alive /............

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amc

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Weed control fabric
« Reply #11 on: September 03, 2007, 10:05 »
I use "Mypex", its a woven geo textile made from polyprop (ie plastic). it comes in all sorts of lengths and widths (2x100m cost 90 quid). It doestn't rot but performs slightly better with some sort of mulch on it, tho All I did was make some rough wooden 8" long pegs to hold it down. It blocks out about 90%of the light but lets most of the rain thru.

I'll be putting more down this autumn following a spary with roundup (as munty suggests) first and then rotavating. I use it to give my willow cuttings a head start so they don't get overcrowded with weed.
amc

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theakston_uk

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Re: Weed control fabric
« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2010, 15:04 »
Went to Costco in Liverpool this morning and picked this up for just over £28 seems like a good price considering it's heavy duty.
282 (507 x 676).jpg

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slider

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Re: Weed control fabric
« Reply #13 on: April 02, 2010, 19:04 »
i got a 100 sq foot roll,you can have 2 size widths off e-bay for i think it was £26 delivered,it came with in a few days. :D
brute force and ignorance works everytime

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Rangerkris

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Re: Weed control fabric
« Reply #14 on: April 03, 2010, 06:41 »
Mypex not cheap but only need to buy it once, it lasts and does the trick i would never buy the cheap stuff. Our allotment shed sells it off the roll.
Thanks
Kris



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