DIY Matters – Vegetable Gardening

How to stop weeds under your vegetables

If you want to grow your own vegetables, it is essential to have a well-thought out weed control strategy.

But how do you control those annoying weeds without killing off your prominent produce?

Weed control fabric is a popular, controlled choice amongst gardeners and vegetable growers.

The fabric prevents weeds from forming under your vegetables without damaging them, while allowing water and nutrients to still be adsorbed.

The main problem with weed control methods such like herbicides is that they kill plants.

But with vegetables, contamination is a much more important issue because do not want harmful chemicals in their meals.

Installing your weed control membrane

Step 1: Remove all existing weeds from the area where you wish to plant.

Step 2: Remove sharp objects that could penetrate the fabric and allow weeds to come through (glass, roots or nails)

Step 3: Unroll your new weed control membrane on the area of planting.

Step 4: Ensure that the edges overlap each other so weeds will not find their way through.

Step 5: Cover the fabric with new fresh soil.

It is important to not that you do not use too many additional layers of the membrane. Even though it is a safer method than herbicides, it can still have an unnatural effect on the soil below.

The fabric will work for up to three years but it is recommended that you renew it prior to this period for best results.

Got fabric left over? Use it under decking, driveways, pavements and patios to eradicate those weeds for good, leaving a scene worth enjoying.

Tags: control, weed

0 members like this

Comment by Fred Hogg on October 18, 2012 at 19:32: Good sharp hoe also works...........

Comment by Darren Blick on October 18, 2012 at 20:25: Prevention is always better than cure

Comment by Fred Hogg on October 18, 2012 at 20:33: If you want an allotment plot swathed in black, lazy gardeners way.

Surprised at the " sufvern areas veggie chumps "comment

Comment by Darren Blick on October 18, 2012 at 21:54: My allotment has raised beds

In between I will have weed material topped with bark for the paths

My rasberries are plented through the same material

It looks very neat and tidy

You don't have to work up a sweat to prove you have worked hard

Sometimes using the brain achieves the same aim with less effort

There is being busy and a busy fool, as the saying goes

It depends on how and what the gardener's preference, some will prefer it and some won't

Not sure what comment surprises you Fred

Comment by Fred Hogg on October 18, 2012 at 22:00: Well the wood bark is a wonderful haven for slugs, and, your spelling: rasberries (raspberries) plented??

Comment by Darren Blick on October 18, 2012 at 22:04: Sorry Fred, another typo with the laptop keyboard but thanks again for the correction

There are always for and against's with everything. I guess you just have to way them up and go with what you feel is best

I myself dont put the bark too thick, so haven't experienced much problems with slugs but I will be sure to keep an eye out

Comment by Colin Robinson on October 18, 2012 at 22:13: Why do I get the impression Fred's a traditionalist?

As a 'lazy gardener' myself I'd welcome anything that meant I didn't have to struggle to grow my food. No-dig and thick mulches do it for me and I don't have a problem with weeds.

Comment by Darren Blick on October 19, 2012 at 7:32: Absolutley Colin

But that doesn't mean there is a right or wrong way, just some people prefer different methods

I like you, prefer the one which takes as little effort as possible, doesn't make me a lazy gardener, just a smart one

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