growing through weed fabric

[SelkirkAlex]

due to physical issues I find weeding difficult.

to try avoid weeding I have been planting through weed fabric, works fairly well, biggest problem I have other than cost is cutting tidy holes to plant through, not a big issue but it bugs me.

this year I tried the "cardboard" mulch on a roll, great, very nice to work with, disadvantage it biodegrades too soon.

now I see nutleys doing a similar thing but it isnt permeable to let moisture in.

now I see the french company vilmorin do a range of mulch sheeting, some polythene and long lasting but thinner and looks more manageable for me but also some from biolice a starch based degradable film.

has anyone used this stuff? anything similar? does anyone else do something similar?

[Thelma Sanders]

I don't know about the other mulches, but with weed control fabric, I use an old soldering iron to make the holes, fairly easy to do that way.

[Cadalot]

Take a look at the posting and video on my blog Alans Allotment: Spuds Under Membrane







All my posts about Planting membrane http://cadalot-allotment.blogspot.co...ing%20Membrane

[Baldy]

I bought a mini flamethrower from China for on the plot for 3 quid that recreates a slightly more "romantic" version of Cadalot's Bauhausian rigid formalist methodology.

Werks well for me vis a vis fraying etc...

[boatsman]

I just cut holes in the fabric with a narrow trowel. I don't find that the fabric is 100% effective as I keep finding slender weeds growing through it. Fortunately they can be easily pulled out making a slight popping sound as they clear the fabric..

[Cadalot]

I bought a mini flamethrower from China for on the plot for 3 quid that recreates a slightly more "romantic" version of Cadalot's Bauhausian rigid formalist methodology.

Werks well for me vis a vis fraying etc...

Seen a guy on Facebook using a blow torch and a tin can to make the holes, it worked quite well

[KevinM67]

I find it a whole lot easier (and cheaper) just using 'natural' mulches now.

A mixture of chopped paper/seaweed/grass/leaves/etc.

Any weeds that do manage to show their head are easily pulled out by hand (or trowel for deep-rooted b*ggers).

[Cadalot]

A mixture of chopped paper/seaweed/grass/leaves/etc.

Are you mixing these together or using on there own? Shredded paper blows everywhere when I have spilled some when filling a Dalek!

[ESBkevin]

I use lots of organic mulch under corrugated cardboard. Once the plants are 'puddled in' the mulch and card tend to keep the soil temps steady/warm and prevent evaporation so any slow seepage of rain through is adequate for the winter growing season. Worm action renders the soil very frieable and any weeds that do develope (rare) come spring will ease out with no effort.

[Thelma Sanders]

Seen a guy on Facebook using a blow torch and a tin can to make the holes, it worked quite well

When I tried the weed flame thingy it just set light to the weed fabric
I'd made a hole & moved on and repeat - then when I looked behind it was all still burning LOL

That's what made me try the soldering iron, like Cad, which worked really well.