Not only professional landscape gardeners, but also hobby gardeners today rely on clever methods of weed control, for example by laying weed fleece. Although this is a somewhat controversial remedy, it makes gardening easier and effectively discourages new growth of weeds and rhizomes. In addition, there are different variants that are either made of woven fabric or act as a ground covering film in garden beds. Whether you’re new to gardening or a pro, it can practically save you from weeding. This allows you to invest more time in your crops and optimize your garden maintenance. Here is some useful information and important factors to consider.
What should you pay attention to when laying weed fleece?
The main advantages of soil films are that they smother weeds and protect the garden soil from heavy rainfall, compaction and drying out. This preserves the soil nutrients for garden plants and prevents erosion without having to dig up the garden soil. However, it is important to know what weeds are preventing sheeting from growing and when to install weed sheeting. So that you can rely on it for a long time, you should choose high-quality materials that are weather-resistant and difficult to damage.
In addition, all of your weed control efforts may have been in vain if low-quality sheeting allows weeds soon after installation. So it would make sense to consider bed and material selection when laying weed control fabric. Many manufacturers offer sturdy products and you can choose the appropriate length for your garden beds depending on your needs. To make the right decision, you can learn more about it below.
How do you use foil when weeding in the garden?
Most of these weed control membranes are permeable and non-woven geotextiles. These help suppress and control weed growth without the use of chemicals and herbicides. In addition, laying floor covering films allows for reliable drainage and filtration.
Proper use ensures that the garden soil is supplied with nutrients, air circulation and moisture for unhindered plant growth. All this allows for complete suppression of the growth of weeds and rhizomes, as well as its use under artificial turf. However, some variants are better suited for horticultural applications. You can lay weed fleece under gravel, bark mulch, garden paths, as well as in raised beds and sandpits.
When should you lay weed fleece in the garden bed?
As already described, such cover films can be used practically for a number of purposes in landscaping. You can use it to protect flowers and shrubs, for example, as well as vegetables in your garden beds from weeds. Laying weed fleece on slopes or under slabs on garden terraces is also one of the versatile areas of application of such helpful products. This can eliminate the need to use weed killers that could be harmful to garden plants or pets.
Accordingly, you can lay weed mat to prevent weed seeds from germinating in your garden soil or from landing in your bed from above and taking root. This would also be a viable option if you’re looking for easy-to-install and low-maintenance weed control options. This makes gardening easier and takes care of your garden plants without much effort.
When laying weed fleece, follow the tips and simple steps
If you decide to go this route, proper installation is crucial. However, this is relatively easy and usually requires no prior knowledge. You will also need basic tools and materials such as a garden hoe, staples, hammer, tape measure, rake, utility knife and possibly mulch. In addition, before laying, you should make sure that you have removed any weeds and other objects.
- First try to clear the soil of all the grown rhizomes and other vegetation, as well as sharp stones. Only then can you rake the garden area to create a level ground surface prior to installation. This will allow you to easily lay your weed control fabric without sharp objects damaging the fabric.
- First, you can overlap the edges of the fabric. If you want to cover more than one row of your beds with weed control fabric, you should place the edges at least 15 cm above each other. This will prevent weeds from growing through the seams. It is then very easy to fix the overlaps with staples or dowels, as well as bark mulch when laying weed fleece.
- The next step is to create what is called a collar if you want to add crops to the foiled garden area. You can cut a cross into the fabric for each plant and open it up. After that you can remove the soil and position the appropriate plant in the hole. Then make sure your growth is secure and well watered.
- Next you can replace the ground cover sheet, being careful not to leave any soil on it. As an additional measure to combat weeds, you can again make a collar, but from a rectangle of fabric. This should be large enough to cover the cross cuts. For this you can cut a single slit halfway up the rectangle and place this over cross slots and stems.
- Finally, within 24 hours of installation, you can cover the bottom sheet with 4 to 5 cm of aggregate or mulch. This protects the material from UV rays and allows for better adhesion and permeability.