[Baldy]

Many thanks for the advice and pictures - I've been inspired to buy a 1m*25m roll of Mypex and a cheapo butane blowtorch - as Slade might say "Its Christmas!!!" 

Once Christmas is out of the way I'll lay it down over compost and then attack it with the blowtorch come the growing season.

Thanks again,

Pip pip,
Balders

[grendel]

I too have been thinking along the same lines, I had a section membraned off last year to reduce the weeds, then just planted my pumpkins through and had a great crop, so I have ordered 50mx1m of weed membrane for this year to see if it helps keep the weeds down. so when it arrives (and the weather allows) I will be off to the plot to strim, rotovate, then lay beds of weed membrane to keep the weeds under control ready for planting through, there was a great deal that did the 50m for just over £25 with 50 pegs included. the weeds on the paths can be kept down with the strimmer, though I may try woodchip if we get a delivery, or I did have an idea for making paving slabs from a jointing resin we use at work (its a resin with sand mix designed to insulate electrical mains joints- totally inert once set) and I already have a hexagonal mould for slabs.
Grendel

[Kristen]

so when it arrives (and the weather allows) I will be off to the plot to strim, rotovate, then lay beds of weed membrane to keep the weeds under control ready for planting through

I've laid mine out even on beds that have not yet been prepared, so the weeds are starved of light. Even the Asparagus bed is covered, I'll remove that in the Spring when the spears start appearing.

with 50 pegs included

I've gone off the pegs. I have them on membrane under hedges (thus membrane is permanent).  The pegs can be pulled out of the ground (with effort, not just by a light breeze!!) but the barbs make it almost impossible to pull the pegs back through the membrane.  I now use pieces of stiff wire with the ends bend at right angle and pushed into the soil;, about a foot or two length on top of the membrane and 9" - 12" prongs to stick into the soil.  I can shove them ias anchors either across the membrane between plants, or along the edges off the membrane

[cadalot]

Mine are weighted down with lengths of recycled plastic from a closing window factory and soft milk bottle bricks

[Baldy]

I've got a load of wood lengths from a collapsed  fruit cage that will be supplemented by earth filled milk bottle bricks.
(If the weather ever allows me up to the plot on a day when other commitments would let me). My butane blowtorch hasn't arrived from China yet, so perhaps the weather is doing me a favour...

Pip pip,
Balders

[Kristen]

Mine are weighted down with lengths of recycled plastic from a closing window factory and soft milk bottle bricks

I used to do that with a variety of "bricks", but I found they got in the way of the plants and I was always too lazy to lug enough of them to proper weight down the membrane! so the wind use to lift areas of it ... with a roll or old misshapen previously-loved! wire and some cutters I can just fashion as many as I need now

[cadalot]

I've got a load of wood lengths from a collapsed  fruit cage that will be supplemented by earth filled milk bottle bricks.

Baldera, I got some sacks of sand off freecycle, it's a whole lot easier filling the milk bottles with sand than it is soil. As long as the sand is nice a dry.

[Baldy]

Baldera ? 

Sounds like the latest Disney Princess... 

Yup - I'll use sand if I can get some... if not it'll be water / soil...

Pip pip,

Balders

[cadalot]

Baldera ? 

Balders - Sorry lack of finger control made me hit the "a" and not the "s" - It would be great if I could touch type! 

[teamspotty]

We're going down the strip, cover with membrane and plant through the membrane technique to cut down on any non-productive time spent weeding as our allotment is huge.

I get loads of 2m x as long as I can get rolls off of ebay that are woven non plastic variety, going for the 75gsm stuff. This we double up so that it equates to 150gsm (i.e. have a strip twice as long as required and fold it back on itself). For paths we use carpet (another labour saving device) which we peg down with tent pegs (also off of ebay) and tuck the membrane under the carpet at the edges - the double layering helps to give it strength and we overlay the edges. We still needed to weight down the fabric but it works well - only needing to pull up any unwanting growths from time to time that collect round bricks (the said weighting down device) which takes minutes. The fabric over what will be our soft fruit bed has been down for 3 years (yes we have been slow about it) and has only just started ripping - around bricks due to lack of maintenance for the last 2 years.

Word of advice - if you have prevailing wind, make sure that you overlay the fabric in such a way so that each strip doesn't act like a sail...

[Kristen]

We still needed to weight down the fabric but it works well - only needing to pull up any unwanting growths from time to time that collect round bricks (the said weighting down device) which takes minutes. The fabric over what will be our soft fruit bed has been down for 3 years (yes we have been slow about it) and has only just started ripping - around bricks due to lack of maintenance for the last 2 years.

I used bricks etc. originally to hold mine down, it was a bit hit & miss as to where the wind got under corners and falpped them about.

I now use "staples" made from old bits of (fairly thick) fencing wire.  Pieces about 2-3' long, bend the ends over at right angles to make prongs and stick through the membrane.  The soil under them is loose, and they look puny along the surface, and I would not have thought they would work well but, fingers crossed!, we haven't had any flapping about or picking up in the wind since adopting that method.

[mjg000]

Would you guys recommend using weed suppressant material to cover potatoes and stop need to cover over with soil?

[cadalot]

Would you guys recommend using weed suppressant material to cover potatoes and stop need to cover over with soil?

Yes read and look at the pictures above you that's what I did last year and I'm doing again this year, just make sure you melt the holes with a soldering iron or use a blow torch with a foil shield to melt the holes otherwise they fray like mad. 

[Kristen]

Would you guys recommend using weed suppressant material to cover potatoes and stop need to cover over with soil?

Yes read and look at the pictures above you that's what I did last year and I'm doing again this year, just make sure you melt the holes with a soldering iron or use a blow torch with a foil shield to melt the holes otherwise they fray like mad.

I'm a big convert to weed supressing membrane, started mis-season last year and was really pleased with the results (good crops, no weeding, almost no irrigation, Yeah!) This year planning to grow "everything" through membrane

However ...

If I plant Spuds through membrane I won't be able to earth up.  I use that as a means of keeping any late frost off. I suppose I could put Fleece over instead?

Plan B is that I have made the holes in membrane at exact measurements, and I plant using a marked measuring stick, so (baring cock-ups!) I can get the plants at the correct spacing for the holes in the membrane.  For things that are grown on in pots I plant and then cover, rather than plant-through (too messy trying to make a planting hole, with bulb planter, through membrane).

So I could?? plant, earth up a bit, and then put membrane in place after final earthing up before spuds push through??

I'd be interested to hear how others do it pls

[mumofstig]

So I could?? plant, earth up a bit, and then put membrane in place after final earthing up before spuds push through??

I'd be interested to hear how others do it pls

That's what I did last year, but cut a slot along the top of the ridge (for the haulms to grow through) rather than individual holes - as it seems a bit hit and miss where they actually grow through