To Use Weed Mat Or Not

We certainly prefer a more natural way of dealing with weeds.

To use weed mat or not. You can tuck the excess fabric neatly along the inside of the border. When it comes to weeds there are no shortcuts. You don t want standing water. In this case a weed mat might be a great solution but over time the weed matt usually pokes through the gravel creating an unsightly mess.

The ph of bark dust is not conducive to weed growth at least for 3 6 month. But weed mats can indeed be useful underneath gravel where there are no plants included. Weed seeds blow in the wind and are dropped by birds and other animals. Create more gathering space dry creeks pathways to lower the areas for weeds to grow.

More on bark dust here. In heavy rain a lot of water builds up and runs off one reason why gardeners who use weed barriers see edges of it glistening in the sunlight so often. Secure the weed mat at each corner with landscape anchors weed mat pins or 4 5 inch wire staples inserting them into the ground through the fabric using a hammer. Just push it down between the soil and the border with a putty knife to conceal it.

They will compost and actually feed worms rather than trap them. For large pieces secure at the. For example if you want to create a maintenance free side yard you might use a gravel or rock base without plants. It will take planning and work or hiring someone to minimize.

Helps retain soil moisture by reducing evaporation. I would not recommend using the black plastic or any plastic really for weed barrier for gardens. It has done well for about 4 years now with a minimal weed issue so i really can t complain a lot. Do not skimp on the weed mat overlap the edges of the weed mat by at least 8 inches if you need to use multiple pieces of weed mat and allow a 2 inch overhang around the edges.

Limits the need to use herbicides for weed control. But landscape fabric is not cheap. Fabric allows the water to escape and not settle. Except studies have shown that though porous weed barrier fabrics do not allow water to penetrate the soil as readily as soil without fabric.

So if you put dirt or mulch or stone on top of the material weeds will eventually grow in the dirt mulch or stone and will will root into the mat material and pin it down. We want to create a better world for the future generation so do not use weed control fabric in your garden.