Growing virtually weed free.

[Alan Farmer]

On my two allotments, after the ground is dug over and levelled, I take out a spade's width shallow trench about 2" deep and partially fill it with commercial general purpose compost. I then sew and gently water the relevant seeds, spacing them apart, e.g. 3" for beetroot etc. I then cover with the appropriate layer of top compost, and tamp down with the back of the rake. Alongside and close to each row I lay a 1 foot strip of weed inhibiting fabric to act as a weed free path between the rows. (You can vary the width if you choose but I cut a one metre roll into three with a stanley knife while still rolled up-it's easy). The strips of fabric are pegged about every 5 feet with metal tent pegs. So you have plants growing in a weed free compost, and a weed free path between each row. Maintenance and watering are easy. It really works and I get excellent results for the table.

[magz.mccarthy]

this sounds like a great idea! do you use the same fabric for a number of years or does it only last one season? do you find that it is harder to grow plants on the area where the fabric was the previous year?

[Alan Farmer]

The fabric only costs about a tenner, and I cut it in three. It usually lasts about three years or so, so it's very cost effective. There is no problem growing where the paths have been, I just roll up the fabric for reuse next year and then use my Honda rotovator, or dig.