[gimli]

hi i am new to allotments and we have managed to clear a very very    :shock: large part of waste ground.
we are down to the soil and have weeded it quite well.
problem is that we are of on hols this weekent and the other side of the plot
is still over grown with tall grass and weeds
wondered what i could lay n the clean side to stop the weeds comming back while were away.
would be disheartening to have to te start again :roll:
the guy in the next allotment told me to get some see through clear plastic an pop this down
but wouldent that just let the sun through and the weed still grow.
help please .

[orfy]

You can get old carpet for free if you try. That does good.

[SalJ1980]

A lot of allotments disapprove of carpet, cos it looks messy on your plot. Also they can contain chemicals which you wouldn't want on your veggies...

You'd be best off (IMHO) with some black plastic, tarp, etc

[Yorkie]

Hi gimli,

I wouldn't use clear plastic - if light can get through, the weeds / plants will continue to grow.  You need to cut out light to prevent regrowth.

Despite what some older gardening books say, I would also strongly advise against using carpet.  It contains toxins which are released into the soil.  It's a nightmare to get rid of - muddy, wet, etc.  If you leave it on long enough it will either disintegrate, leaving you with lots of bits in your soil, or weeds will grow through it and you will not be able to lift it easily even when you want to get rid of it.

So, what can you use?  It partly depends on how long you intend to leave the ground covered for.  

Some people put a mulch on top.  e.g. cardboard, which rots down over quite a few months (thicker the better).    

You could grow a green manure, making sure you dig it in before it flowers.  I don't know much about these as my weeds would easily out-compete the green manure!

I use woven weed suppressant, which is porous and therefore lets through air and water.  

There is also the option of black plastic, though if it is non-porous the soil can't breathe etc underneath.

[gimli]

thank you will have a look at black plastic or a breathable weed surpresant

[Knoblauch]

Wilkinson (am I allowed to mention this shop?) do some cheap fabric on a roll, it's flimsy but will last if you cover it will stuff like hedge clippings or even weeds you've pulled up.

[compostqueen]

The heavy duty stuff is very good and will last forever. It's porous so will allow rain through which keeps the soil underneath in good nick

Tenax Redstripe is one brand but there are others. SmithnJones and Alplas (Alplaz) sell it on the web.  I think there will be info on here about where to find it as it's been discussed before