Flower bed - Weed prevention

C

Conshine

Registered User
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I dug out a flower bed and took out all the weeds last autumn.
Never got around to getting any flowers down, but intend to do that soon. But loads of weeds have returned.
Any suggestions on how to prevent them coming back?

The weed mats that you place just under the soil sound like an option, but cost is a problem. Same with stones / bark chippings

Would old carpet suffice?
Old coal sacks (the plastic woven ones)

I am thinking dig it all out and put a layer of something a couple of inches below the soil and then just cut holes in the bits where the plants will grow.

Any other ideas?
 
The weed control fabric is probably your best bet. Carpet will rot, and usually isn't waterproof, so will starve plants of water and cause waterlogging elsewhere. Using sacks will leave gaps weeds will find their way through.
 
Hi .. the coal sacks might work - just overlay them to minimise gaps... but even with weed protector - you will get some weeds - just need to check on the flower bed regularly & pull out the weeds - also gives you a chance to check the flowers & remove any dead flower heads to encourage good flower growth...

Have you a large flower bed area?
 
Hi Conshine... for an area that long I would get the weed fabric suppressant - one continuous roll would make things much easier for you... you can buy the rolls of it , 10/12 euro a sheet, of about 3.5' width, 12' long, or in the garden centres, they would have it on a large roll that's cut to size, which would probably work out cheaper again.
 
I consider these beds to be very small. Fork them again, clean them, and you just handweed going forward. For larger beds I have used mulches of cut grass or leaves, these were for rosebeds.
 


Absolute MUCK.

What the OP wants is called MYPEX.
A 50 meter x 1 meter roll of it costs around 50 euro from a nursery or landscaping centre or a good garden centre.
Yes its more expensive than other cheaper lesser fabrics,but it is proper heavy duty weed membrane,it will last a lifetime and weeds will not burst through it like all that other cheap flimsey stuff that you see in woodies,bnq and some other garden centres.

Howth Garden Centre in Howth Village sell Mypex by the meter so if you only need a few meters then you will only pay a few quid,and not have to buy a fulll roll of it.
 


MYPEX or else flood the flowerbed with ground covering plants,grasses and flowers.Mix n match the plants so that you will have some colour all year around.

You will have to carefully choose your plants and flowers,based on the location of the flowerbed,its aspect to the sun or shade and how wet or dry the soil structure in the flowerbed is.

Or else plant a low growing hedgerow and then underplant with some winter and spring bulbs.
 
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