[green_fingered_ash]

my logic for this is that since weed fabric is so effective at stopping weeds from growing, it would make the weeding minimal because I would only need to weed between the plants and not between the rows.

Does anyone do this or think it is a good idea?

[Yorkie]

Yes, there are quite a few threads on this if you try a search.

However, if your weed fabric is indeed fraying (from your other thread), I wouldn't use it.  I'd buy some decent quality stuff to use.

It does harbour slugs and I've never worked out how you harvest spuds or enable the spud plant multi-stems to go through the fabric though!

[GrannieAnnie]

I've grown spuds through it as their spacing is quite good, but don't about about things like parsnips!

I cut a smallish cross in the weed membrane, then dug a plug of soil out with a bulb planter, put the seed potato into the hole, stuck the plug of soil back on top, and when the haulm started to grow, pulled the cut cross fabric back over as much as I could.  Got a few green tops to some spuds where teh light peeked through the hole, but when ready, you just peel back the weed fabric, pic out the spuds you want, then put the fabric back again.

Had a few slugs, but not many.

[sunshineband]

One guy on our site grows marrows and courgettes through membrane every year, as well as brussels and PSB

Seems to work well for him and slugs don't seem to be a problem

[GrannieAnnie]

Mmmm, I think they would be easier to plant than the root crops though Sunny.  I've done brassicas through cardboard before.

[sunshineband]

Sorry, I forgot to add that he doesn't ever do root crops like this... he always direct sows.

Root crops would be tricky with one seed per hole, I think, or even a small pinch...  :blink: