Covering veggie patch over winter

[Scarlet]

Should I take the taupaulin off now, as they might decide to breed under there?

I have trouble with mice on my plot. When I first started out using card as a ground cover I would find mice nests and runs underneath. I now use soaking wet newspapers, these don't leave nice warm gaps underneath like the large sheets of card do. My pea and bean seeds are always stolen though!!

[Alison]

If you drink milk you can save the plastic bottles to fill with water as weights to weight the cardboard down. We've done that this year and the cover we put down (weed stop black fabric) is coping in these gale force winds just about.

I use old plastic pop bottles that I get friends to save for me (we don't use enough) - we give our milk bottles back to the milkman for him to fill up again

[Feral007]

I use old tyres, but then I use them for everything from making a rubber arena for the horserider to everything else

[Alison]

I've used tyres to weigh down sections of card etc too, very handy they are too although some people worry about nasties leeching off them.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I use old tyres, but then I use them for everything from making a rubber arena for the horserider to everything else

We can't use tyres on our (council owned) allotment - anyone thinking of using them (a la Bob Flowerdew) on their plot would be wise to check first. Obvs. ok on your own land!

[Feral007]

I don't use them to grow in, partly because of the worry of leaching, and partly because they always seem to be full of red backs. I'd rather not play with spiders while I'm gardening, except for those scary garden spider of course.

[marchogaeth]

I've used tyres to weigh down sections of card etc too, very handy they are too although some people worry about nasties leeching off them.

I am always very careful of the water that collects in them in case it contains rat pee. When moving them, I would wear rubber gloves and take care to avoid splashes to your face or that create air bourne droplets - lepto' is not plesant.