Can i cover lotty with a sissal rug and then manure?

[jackyspratty]

Hi all, just ave a new quarter plot, mainly covered in couch grass! Have been digging over with a forked azada and removing roots and shoots as I go. Theres still a lot there tho, and I've been reading a bout coverering plot with cardboard and manure. I've beed given an old sissal rug. Could I use this and cover with maure, do you think it would rot down? I know that I'm gonna have to keep digging the cpuch grass in spring too and get as much out as I can. Will the manure just give the remaining roots a boost?!!
Any help advice very much appreciated!

[Bigmallly]

I covered a patch of my garden with an old hession backed carpet prior to putting bark down. 5 years later the carpet is still there. Not sure that will help you as you need it to rot down.

[geoff]

Sisal is a very tough and durable fibre, that's why they make rope and rugs out of it. Your rug might also have been treated to make it last even longer
A covering plus manure is a good idea, I've done it myself very successfully, but use newspaper and cardboard instead of the rug

[jackyspratty]

Thanks, I thought it was too good to be true! Just have to find a use for the rug now!

[Bigmallly]

Use it on your plot to suppress weeds over winter. Just cover the soil with it.

[RobintheBobin]

Sisal is pretty expensive so I'd sell it on e-bay

[jackyspratty]

Unfortunately its been outside and exposed to the leeds elements so I don't think I'd get many takers! Thanks to all, think may just out it over a section of the plot to try and keep couch grass down? Oh decisions decisions.....

[Paulottie]

Do NOT put carpeting down on allotments. Couch and buttercup will just grow through it eventually making it impossible to remove.

[Two_Sheds]

Sisal is all natural though Paulottie: it is made of plant, so it will rot down

[Jeanied]

I've used the old carpet bits on the paths, after doing service covering parts of the plot.

[SarzWix]

Put down the manure, and then put the rug on top of it? And then when you're ready to dig/cultivate in the spring, you could use the rug to cover the compost heap? Or cut it up for the paths, or, use it as a base for the compost heap to stop weeds growing up through it... Or just move it around the plot, covering bits up before you get to them.

[jackyspratty]

Thanks everyone. Think the manuring and then covering sounds good. Then using it to cover compost bin. Theres a hell of a lot of couch grassroot left though, am tacckling it slowly but surely with my trusted spanish hoe that has a pronged bit on it?! The rug has no backing on it, so its all sissal, so it may rot a bit but perhaps very slowly as it looks tough stuff. Thanks for all the advise At least the couch grass isn't knee high any more!