[Dave f]

I was overun with weeds last year and so covered my plot with membrane over the winter.  I would like to grow as much as possible through the membrane this season.  Can most things be grown successfully like this?  Innitially I want to put in garlic and onion sets.  Both these crops were good last year in spite of the encroaching weeds so I don't want to use the membrane if it is not appropriate.  Many thanks in anticipation for your advice.

[Bagpuss]

I know a friend who uses strips of membrane between the rows to help suppress weeds.  Lay it after the plants are up.  It can be weighted down with stones every yard or so.

[paintedlady]

It might depend on what the weed is - bindweed and couch grass have an uncanny way of forcing their way towards the light even with weed suppressant material down, and worse, they come up right where you have planted stuff  :blink:   I've never tried to grow onions & garlic that way, nor root vegetables, but squashes, sweetcorn, toms, chillies & peppers, and even potatoes do extremely well as the black membrane also warms up and keeps the warmth trapped in the soil.  I wouldn't suggest planting cool climate legumes like broad beans & peas as they don't do too well with their roots getting too warm.

Personally I find the suppressant material as a temporary measure only until you get the time to keep on top of the weeding.  You'll always have problems because each time you turn the soil over, you are exposing years of hidden seed just waiting to germinate.  Hope you have a better year this time round Dave   

[Pompey Spud]

How about buying a hoe?

Gardening was never meant to be easy.

 

[paintedlady]

Gone are the days when you could leisurely take your time getting a plot into order over 2 or 3 years etc - with waiting lists and stricter rules, you can feel under a lot of pressure to get the plot up to 100% cultivation within 6-12 months which can be physically impossible if you have a full time job and other responsibilities.  Digging, sowing, planting, harvesting and then expect to keep up with the weeding as well can be just a bit too much all in one go.  Sadly I see too many newbies take on a plot and give up within the first couple of months because the weeds seem to be growing faster than their crop! 

If it helps to have some measure of control, then weed suppressant materials have their place IMO.  It's a heck of a lot better than using chemical sprays in the long term    As for "gardening was never meant to be easy" - pah, you can make it as easy or as hard as you like 

[diggerjoe]

Ive used it with good results for sweetcorn, pumkins, squashes and this year using it for the cabbage and cauli as it saves having to lift off the netting for weeding. I took up the fabric from last years corn last weekend and reused it on what will be the lettuce beds.

[corynsboy]

Testify! 

I've just posted my latest blog entries which describe my own frustration with hoeing and weeding my strawberry patch.  (There’s a link to my blog in my signature). 

It's all hands and knees weeding and it takes too many precious hours.  Sometimes you have to work smarter rather than harder. 

I would recommend the "Stale Bed" approach before putting down any ground cover, if you have the time.

(For those not aware: Make sure that all the weeds are thoroughly dug out before leaving the bed for two weeks and taking out any new weeds that appear during this period then cover and plant.)

We had some success with garlic and salad grown through covers in our first year.  We did not bother last year but I grew all my squash over wood chips last year and had great fruits (all kept of the earth) and hardly any weeding.  That was well worth the effort and cost becasue the wood chip is still in a pile waiting to be used again.

Summer is likely to be a hot one this year.  Watering could be an issue in well drained soils.

[Aunt Sally]

I know a friend who uses strips of membrane between the rows to help suppress weeds.  Lay it after the plants are up.  It can be weighted down with stones every yard or so.

What a great idea Bagpuss

Welcome back by the way

[Babstreefern]

At the end of the day, you will never ever get rid of weeds

I work in an office in Manchester and can see over roof tops, and its surprising how many weeds actually grow there - with no soil. 

Personally, I enjoy getting on my hands and knees and picking out the weeds, to me its bliss after a week of office work to be out in the fresh air.

[PennyS]

Ive used it with good results for sweetcorn, pumkins, squashes and this year using it for the cabbage and cauli as it saves having to lift off the netting for weeding. I took up the fabric from last years corn last weekend and reused it on what will be the lettuce beds.

oh what a good idea! I've been thinking about best use for my matting, I've dug underneath most of it now (and put it back to stop em coming back lol)/
I will try to use some of mine for the brassicas.
I'm going to try to grow squash around the base of my corn, I've heard it can help suppress weeds??

[solway cropper]

I tried growing tatties under black plastic and got a wonderful crop of slugs. They seem to like the warm, dark, moist conditions. As for weeds, Babstreefern is right...they will grow anywhere. After the council resurfaced the roads last year they left some small heaps of gravel behind and I thought I could use some of that for paths. Deep within the pile of what should have been sterile stone chips were healthy plant seedlings.

[Pompey Spud]

Just to carry on with Bagpuss's theme.

I'm going to grow red clover inbetween rows as well amongst beans and courgettes.

[paintedlady]

I tried growing tatties under black plastic and got a wonderful crop of slugs. They seem to like the warm, dark, moist conditions.

ah yes, the black plastic does make a nice home for them to hide under and come out at night    Re: tatties - some maincrop can be vulnerable to slug attack anyway, but some of the first & 2nd earlies especially the slug resistant ones actually do very well.  The black plastic helps to warm up the soil which is perfect for this time of year