Mulching and weed suppression

[OverWyreGrower]

I've given all my couch grass etc their 2nd dose of RoundUp and am preparing to cover everything with black plastic until Autumn/Winter.

Should I mulch under the plastic with manure ready for next year, as an added weed suppressant? Or just leave the plastic down on its own?

Cheers

[Peter]

Just make sure you let the Roundup do its work BEFORE you cover up with black plastic.

Roundup works as the plant grows, so you have to let it try and grow, just wit for it to all go brown and dead.

[OverWyreGrower]

Yup, it's all brown and dead (although there's already new growth around it...damn couch grass!)

[Snadger]

Yup, it's all brown and dead (although there's already new growth around it...damn couch grass!)

I would give it another dose of roundup and leave cover off until it's DEAD!

[Peter]

If you have the equipment and time.

When its ALL brown and dead, burn it off with a flame gun, gas or paraffin.
Then leave it for a few weeks, this will allow any remaining couch roots and any weed seeds whose dormancy has been broken by the heat to poke their heads above the soil.
For you to Roundup them again.

Repeat until bored or nothing comes up.

Rough dig and sling some FYM on it.
Then cover.

When you uncover it should have been well wormed and be easier to dig out any remaining roots.

[OverWyreGrower]

I would give it another dose of roundup and leave cover off until it's DEAD!

It's had 4 doses of RoundUp on the last 4 months. After the first two doses, we dug the beds over and hand picked out all the roots (or so we thought). We covered it with landscape fabric. Within another month, it had all grown again, through the fabric!

It's had another two doses between the rain etc, and although the stuff I sprayed is dead, already (i.e. 2 weeks after spraying) there are new weeds

That's why I'm keen to get it covered. I like the idea of burning everything off then covering up!