Weed mat. Worth having or a waste of time?

[JDub]

I use a 10cm layer of mulch (bark) on all my gardens(no weedmat), you do get the very occassional weed coming through but thats not a big deal. You do need to top up the mulch every couple of seasons as it will rot down..... but this is a GOOD thing, great for your plants!

[aussieorchid]

Thats probably a good indication that gravel doesn't make a good garden mulch.

I think you might be right there but when you live in termite infested queensland I do not want to give them one more reason to visit my house by spreading wood chips around the place fro them to snack on.

[Bleedin Thumb]

JDub are you aware that when bark breaks down(especially pine) it robs nitrogen out of the soil?

You have to compensate by using a nitro fertilizer which also makes the bark breakdown a bit faster.

[woodbe]

BT. So is that "as good as it gets"? Is woodchip and/or bark the best mulch in a weedmat free garden?

woodbe.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Commercially I specify well composted forest fines. Trees that have gone through a tub grinder and then composted down. Its very dark, humousy stuff that acts as a soil conditioner as well as a weed suppressant.



At home...................I have a good crop of weeds.


Well not too bad, I just let every thing go rampant - lots of different ground covers, there isn't much space/light for weeds to grow.

[JDub]

JDub are you aware that when bark breaks down(especially pine) it robs nitrogen out of the soil?

You have to compensate by using a nitro fertilizer which also makes the bark breakdown a bit faster.

I normally use Tanbark type mulch and regulary fertilise (twice a year at least) with products such as dynamic lifter or osmocote (seasol on occasion)....
I assume that is putting back the nitrogen that the decomposing organic material is taking out?

[Bleedin Thumb]

Yep a bit of chook poo or seaweed extract will do....also gets rid of pesky neighbours if applied on a hot day

[Planned LScape]

I dont use weed mat very often, only on areas with a river rock or gravel cover and no plants.

For reasons listed above also...in my opinion weed mat over time is a pain for maintenance. The shiny sort of weedmat isnt very porous, on a slope the mulch cover slides off, and water beads down like it's been waxed. The better stuff is the softer mat, but as Bleeding Thumb pointed out, it's not whats underneath that's the problem, it's above the weedmat.

There are a lot of varieties of weeds that can grow in 1 square inch of soil (Remembering my tafe info now!) and over time dust and dirt that accumulates into the mulch or on the weedmate, will hold weeds. Even fine mulch can provide a growing medium for it.

In short, I reckon a waste of time. Give a 75cm or 3" layer of mulch, and plenty of nutrients and the plants will do better

[WoodJunky]

we have weed control mat on our front garden and it does a good job but you still get a few weeds growing in the mulch as the seeds blow in from other areas. They are real easy to pull out as the roots do not penetrate the matting. We also used newspaper and that worked also but found but one problem we had was when the cats dug their holes to do their business they tend to rip the paper

[Terrian]

personally I use the cheaper weedmat (like a very very fine cotton), allows water to still get to the soil below, the more expensive plastic woven stuff stops pretty much everything getting to the soil below and basically kills the soil. 3" - 4" of mulch over the weedmat, the only weeds we see are what grow in the mulch, pull 'em out while they are small and all is fine. Just my own preference though.

[Jacksin]

Weed matting (black shiny stuff) was used extensively by the previous owner of my home over 9 years ago and bit by bit I am pulling it out. Even though the layer of woodchip mulch is very thin and breaking down on top its difficult to get the water through the matting as the holes are clogged.

[Toyboy]

Weedmatting? What the hell is wrong with Roundup?
There's not much will grow with my method of weed control.
If I could, I would have a permanent Roundup drip system in place, so forget weedmat and either poison everything or cover it in concrete.
As a great Greek bloke once said, "I came, I saw, I concreted."
Works for me!

[Terrian]

Weedmatting?
As a great Greek bloke once said, "I came, I saw, I concreted."
Works for me!

Smart man, 4" of concrete painted whatever colour you want, artificial tree, all good, just think of the time savings (have just replace a sleeper retaining wall with a concrete retaining wall - that was fun!)

[Jasey]

One thing I have discovered is that if you want a garden you are setting yourself up for work and compromises. There is no perfect way to do something. I have found that if you are after a decorative garden with a few shrubs/plants then weedmat with gravel is excellent, it requires the least weed maintenance. If you are after a more heavily planted bed and want to be fertilising, adding soil, planting and digging regularly then weedmat is a pain. Then again most mulches ar apain if you want to be active in the garden. I found that anything to light like sugar cane gets scratched up by the cats.

[Caloute]

I use black plastic roll from Bunnings, spread it on your soil pin it with 100mm nails every meters or so, so wind does not pick it up it the main time, then water it and pin a few hole around plants and where water does not evacuate, then
If you need to plant, just use knife to cut hole in and plant again pin few hole around plants. Mulch on top, when plants are in. If plants are already there just measure and cut with scissors channels and holes.

Weed matt as explained by the old guy that does my lawn, is a problem because eventually whatever weed grows on top of your matt, will find a way in thru the matt below it, then when you pull it out (The weed), you actually pull the matt as well. Plus always fiber that stick out when you cut drives me nuts.

Plastic sheets work well for me and you can get rolls for $15, that will cover quite a lot.