How Do I Best Use Weed Control Fabric

[Grantc93]

Hey Guys and Girls,

I just got my first allotment two weeks ago and its weeds are taller than me (which isn't that tall really).

Now, I started digging and clearing them by hand. After two days worth of work I am not much farther on, so I amended my plans and I am now trying to clear enough space for two grow beds I can make from some spare wood.

I am happy enough to clear that by hand but I was thinking of covering the rest with weed control fabric or some other covering.

My issue is I have never used anything on this scale before do I need to cut the weeds down first and then cover them or can i just flatten them down with a bit of persuasion (and a spade) and then cover them?


Any advice or tips would be appreciated

Thanks,
Grant

[Thelma Sanders]

Weed control fabric, in my experience, doesn't cut out enough light to stop existing weeds from growing. It weakens them a bit, but that's all sadly.
It needs cardboard or thick layers of paper under it to exclude light completely.
Strim everything down as low as possible, and cover as with cardboard and fabric. Left for a year, paper and cardboard will have disintegrated. You can roll it back a bit at a time, to clear the rest.

[Grantc93]

Weed control fabric, in my experience, doesn't cut out enough light to stop existing weeds from growing. It weakens them a bit, but that's all sadly.
It needs cardboard or thick layers of paper under it to exclude light completely.
Strim everything down as low as possible, and cover as with cardboard and fabric. Left for a year, paper and cardboard will have disintegrated. You can roll it back a bit at a time, to clear the rest.

Thanks for the quick reply
I will gather up some boxes and get trimming

[Mr Bones]

Hi Grant and welcome to the Vine.
It can be back breaking hacking weeds down on a plot. The easiest tool I found to use was an azada, it saved loads of strain on the lower back. They sometimes go by the name of trenching hoe or digging hoe too. Once the weeds are down it'll be easier to see how to develop the plot and as the weeds inevitably show their heads again you can keep on top by dragging the azada over them until you have it under control.
Good luck with it.

oops meant to say, I've found slugs love it under weed control fabric too.

[MarkPelican]

I use weed control fabric to make paths between my beds but I agree that it doesn't prevent well established weeds.

[Jay-ell]

I find that couch grass can punch it's way through the weedfabtic. I agree with the cardboard underlay.

[Snadger]

Total exclusion of water and light with thick black plastic kills the weeds quickly but leaves puddles of water on the surface, and is unsightly

I agree with the cardboard weed fabric idea, but find it unsightly.

I would prefer to cover with cardboard/newspaper/straw, then a layer of Hoss muck to hold it down. That way you could crop the land this year by planting through the cardboard/muck! (And its cheaper)

[DWSmith]

Before I clicked on the forum name all I saw was, "How Do I Best Use Weed". Dang!

[bario1]

Weed control fabric, in my experience, doesn't cut out enough light to stop existing weeds from growing.

There are two types of weed control fabric though, right? Some is more like fleece, then there's the woven polypropylene stuff with the lines on it - more expensive, but I've never seen weeds come through it.

[Thelma Sanders]

There are two types of weed control fabric though, right? Some is more like fleece, then there's the woven polypropylene stuff with the lines on it - more expensive, but I've never seen weeds come through it.

To clarify, I do use the expensive stuff with lines and agree the weeds don't grow through it.

The OP was asking about using it to kill weeds and in my experience it won't kill them because it doesn't exclude enough light.