[craynerd]

Hello, I`m just sorting my new allotment and removing weeds from the current beds. Certainly for the first year I now wish to cover the beds with weed control sheet - I`ve removed the weeds, dug the bed and I will then put a layer of manure down before covering with weed control sheet. The intention is that in spring I can then burn/cut holes in it for planting strawberries and such.

Does this sound like a sound plan and is there are particular brand of control sheet I can buy online at a reasonable price?

Chris

[surbie100]

I'd go for heavy duty weed control fabric myself. I've bought some flimsy stuff from the garden centre and it's not keeping the grass out. If you look on fleabay there are some quite reasonable offers for biggish rolls.

[LilacSandy]

Weed control fabric is quite expensive so I would only use this on the patches you need to plant through, otherwise cover the beds with cardboard weighted down with stones  The cardboard will suppress weeds and will rot down over the winter and can be added to your compost heap in spring or dug in if very rotted.

[AK9]

If u do go for the weed fabric route recommend (from my little experience) to not get the usual shops one.

Found in amazon a 4.5x10m that was very good quality compared to the other ones. And being width 4.5 m meant I did not had to cut in different pieces.

[Headgardener22]

Harrod do a good selection of weed suppressant fabric but, I would question why you want to use it. If you've already dug out the weeds what's the point in covering over the soil for the winter? Especially when it sounds like you're going to put manure down which I expect you'll want to dig in in the spring.

I use weed suppressant fabric on the paths between my raised beds but not on the beds themselves.

[Yana]

I have invested in mypex for the paths and use the cheaper fabric weed suppressant for courgettes, pumpkins and squash. Didn't need to weed at all and that was a huge bonus. Removed the covers after the plants had died, the ground was lovely and soft. Quick fork over and have now covered the soil with manure. The weed membrane will go back on and I will plant through this as I did last year.
For fruit bushes where it can be difficult to get in to weed, I have used mypex and cut holes into which the bushes are planted.
This year I have lifted the mypex around the fruit bushes and mulched with manure and then pegged it back down.

[bravemurphy]

I got some dark grey thick terram cheap and got to be honest its great.

[Yorkie]

If it's only going to be for a season then it might not be worth spending a lot on the heavy duty stuff.  If you think you might then want to use it for longer or elsewhere, then it's worth going for something which isn't the lightweight stuff.

I would suggest going for a wider width if possible - means fewer edges to hold down against the wind...

[gavinjconway]

I use the woven ploy prop plastic type and burn holes with a small blowtorch. Works really well.

You can also use the 1 tonne builders bags with all the stitching slit all the way round and it makes about a 5mt length x just under a metre wide.. Ideal for pathways and non growing areas. 

[moose]

http://www.qvsshop.co.uk/ has a good selection.

[savbo]

i use 105gsm woven fabric - lasts ages - though susceptible to the tiniest but of hot ash, burns straight through it. As I now have more beds I am getting a 100m roll of 1.5m wide (just nice width for 1.2 m bed) from ebay for about £65. I put several beds under it for the winter, and I find it really helps keep on top of the weeds.

the fraying is annoying, but if you can get a hot air stripper gun to the fabric, it does a nice job of sealing the edges...less scary than blowtorch!

sav