[Green Goddess]

I am very new to this but there must be a reason why I shouldn't grow everything through fabric right?  It does seem an easier way of avoiding constant weeding but I must be missing something otherwise why doesn't everybody do it? 

[SG6]

I would say that it is because you have to lift and dig the ground at some time. So up comes the fabric.

Also what is planted at a position will alter so new fabric and holes required. How would you sow a row of carrots in fabric?

Also there is more then weeds to think of, people here would appear to be having problems with cabbage root fly. If the eggs of these are laid around the base of a brassica and get in then fabric traps them there.

I add pelleted chicken poo  at regular intervals, when I happen to bump into the tub, fabric would kind of upset this.

Also I suspect that rain and air have some effect on the soil and preventing this combination may have an unwanted effect (No idea what however).

Also the robin wouldn't be able to collect the little bugs that I turn up when raking, hoeing and digging.

[Yorkie]

All excellent points

One other which occurs to me is that weeds can still grow through the hole in the fabric, so it doesn't completely prevent them - better to get them out first if possible.

[Ropster]

I am growing my brasiccas and strawberrys through fabrick as weading between them is a pain under netting, everything else gets a hoeing now and then

[diggerjoe]

Grew my sweetcorm last year through fabric and it was a great success- this year a well dug bed covered with a good couple of inches well rotted manure, then fabric then 40 sweetcorn planted through slits - they are going great excpet where the wildlife took a fancy to 4 of them - replacement going in this weekend for them - at the end of season I save the fabric double it up and use it on the pumkin beds for next time - I only use the cheap stuff from poundland but it lasts me two seasons. Going to give strawberries a go like this next year.

[Muddylou]

I'm growing my sweetcorn through fabric, the sweetcorn are doing fine, the normal weeds are non existent underneath (I have little peeks now and then). However the bindweed is raising the suppressant fabric off the ground so I weigh it down with bricks,  it does look anaemic though.
   Another thing, this fabric was quite pricey compared to the Poundland stuff (it's the one with green lines through it), where I've cut holes, the thing is fraying and gets tangled in all sorts of things. Just to let you know. I think I'll stick to the Poundland stuff in future and double it over as Diggerjoe says.

[lacewing]

Growing through fabric is brilliant if you have to put up cages to prevent birds eating the crop. No crawling under to weed and the crop can be left to do it's own thing until harvest time..... Magic!!

[canwickplot]

Make sure the fabric that you use completely blocks the light out. The stuff I used on my brassicas last year didn't and I had to remove it eventually to get to all the weeds that had been growing underneath.

Seems to me that there are other ways to deal with the problem you mentioned. Have you thought about laying down newspaper with grass cuttings on top? That should have the same mulch effect and it'll break down into your soil. If you do this, however, don't forget to add a carbon-heavy soil improver or manure over the winter because the grass will likely make your soil a bit thicker and heavier.

[celjaci]

Works well for the bigger stuff which is wider spaced

I have beds of the same size so fabric cut for squash or sweetcorn can be used again the following year on another bed

The woven stuff allows air and water through so shouldn't affect soil too much

As for still having to weed around the plants !!!! ??  - If you cut a cross to plant through then fold the fabric back around the plant there is very little space left - maybe 2% of whole area?

Use it where you can unless you have unlimited time

[crowndale]

I have planted squash through weed fabric this year but only because they are on the one area I wanted to plant in that I have not yet been able to dig over and it was very weedy already!  as it was also very compacted I knew I'd not be able to get the weeds out.  so I cut the holes, loosened the soil and filled the holes with (bought, oh the shame  ) manure and planted the squashes in the holes.  looking good so far.  only hope they produce the required squashes now!

[Sue32]

If I get this right - fabric is great where you're planting stuff individually but no good when you want to sow  a row of peas, carrots or whatever.

[Ropster]

If I get this right - fabric is great where you're planting stuff individually but no good when you want to sow  a row of peas, carrots or whatever.

spot on

[diggerjoe]

crowndale I did that with an area I hadnt dug last year I put a layer of compost and fabric on and planted squash and pumpkins. Left the fabric on till spring and it dug over really well and i used the area for some of this years spuds saved a loy of backache

[Green Goddess]

thanks guys what a varied selection of replies.  I have only so far used fabric for dwarf beans, but wish I had for my cabbages as I can't keep on top of the weeds.  Think it will be a combination of both for future crops.  Thank you all again

[DD.]

I get on quite well with a hoe.

Saved a packet on fabric.