Weed suppressing membrane

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Weed suppressing membrane

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wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 16 9:11 pm Post subject: Weed suppressing membrane

In my last garden I bought (from Costco, I think) an enormous roll of weedsupressing membrane. It was non woven, so it didn't fray but it was strong enough to put under mulch for paths and plant through etc. I think it was about 80 quid for 100m.

The last two lots I have ordered have been rubbish. They are considerably more fragile and only slightly less see through than garden fleece. My local GC only has the absurdly fragile fleecy stuff, or the stuff like plastic woven sacking which frays everywhere. Can anyone recommend a good supplier or brand of decent stuff? Its pretty essential to my (lazy) gardening methods.

Green Rosie

Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 16 9:28 pm Post subject:
When I worked in countryside management we used Terram - not sure where you would get it from though.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 16 10:27 pm Post subject:
If you do get stuck with the woven stuff that frays, you can reduce the fraying by melting holes in it, instead of cutting. Same could be done at edges, as a means of "hemming"

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15984

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 16 6:07 am Post subject:
You can get Terram from agriculural suppliers or builders merchants usually. We have the woven stuff, and it is a bit of a nuicance for fraying, but otherwise gives good results even after a good few years neglect.

onemanband

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 16 4:47 pm Post subject:

Another vote for Terram.
Terram do a 'weedguard' - I don't know if that's any better than equivalent garden centre stuff, because.....
I use the Terram standard geotextile fabric - is actually designed to stop mixing of base layers, rather than weed suppressing. Comes in folded sheets or rolls. I get from builders merchant. Very durable, cuts easy with scissors and doesn't fray. Only downside is it's white.

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 16 6:20 pm Post subject:

These people do a non woven membrane and supply trade but will also sell to hoi polloi like us (well, like me anyway).

https://www.tildenet.co.uk/horticulture/weed-control/mulchtex-50gsm.html

We bought some bits off them (not weed suppressor though so can't speak for it) and they were very helpful offering to supply samples of other materials, so you could ask them for a swatch or two before investing.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 16 12:10 am Post subject:

Hello, you!

OMB, does the geotextile stuff keep enough light out to kill weeds without a mulch? The rubbishy fleecy membrane I've got doesn't, despite being black. In my last (proper) kitchen garden, I had great success with laying weed suppressing membrane and then stone chippings for the paths and covering the beds in the winter with membrane, and either planting through it, or taking it off later and mulching with grass clippings. I managed to get one year where I had a slick operation going, with really minimal work and avoiding all the backbreaking clearing of weedy ground that I really hated, and then I moved. The annoying thing is, the kitchen garden still looks great, three years later. You could walk in tomorrow and just plant things. My current weed infested plot is, well, weed infested, and I badly need similar stuff to tame it.

Green Rosie

Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 16 8:28 am Post subject:
That is how I garden and saves my dodgy back getting hurt. I use a thick garden mulching fabric I bought in France and tuck it under to prevent fraying.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 16 8:38 am Post subject:
It's so frustrating that the minute I got it running well, I had to leave it behind. Of course, now I have a much better garden. It's just, um, in the early stages.

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 16 1:06 pm Post subject:
Womble, I could send you a sample of some white geotextile stuff if you like? I have some left over from when I built our driveway earlier this year. Seems like quite strong stuff.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 16 2:38 pm Post subject:
I'm starting looking for this as well. We will have to compare notes.

onemanband

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 16 4:47 pm Post subject:
WW. I've not used it specifically as a weed suppressor with nothing ontop, but I would say, yes, it would work. I wouldn't say it's totally light proof though. Is certainly tuff enough to walk around on without ripping and seems UV resistant (not sure if it's meant to be). I've been using it under shingle for years and had no issues with degradation or weeds.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 16 8:57 am Post subject:
I'll hold fire on the geo stuff for now, thank you. I just wish I could find the stuff I know works well for me. Why is whenever I find something that actually works, it disappears! I'll go and poke around in the local wyevale later. Wish me luck.....

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