Weed matting - large garden on a slope

caroaEaSlLx · May 2022

We moved into our new home last summer and inherited a large garden on a slope which has had a lot of weeds. They look to be lots and lots of dockweed. We have treated with some weed killer. Our local garden center recommended weed matting - can we still have a natural looking garden with this? Can plants such as geraniums spread? We were planning a woodland style garden (ferns, hydrangeas etc)

Fairygirl · May 2022

The best weed prevention is -lots of plants. Membrane isn't helpful for that.
Ground covering plants, especially evergreen ones, or ones which come into growth early, are the best solution, plus a thick layer of bark or compost. That will also help keep on top of weeds.
You'd need to clear the area of weeds well enough to start with though, and then keep an eye on anything returning, or seeding back in.

BlueBirder · May 2022

I live in a rental property which has weed membrane over a steep slope, covered in bark chippings. There is inevitable downward movement of the bark chippings, leaving bare patches of membrane visible - not ideal! It also doesn't stop the weeds. Things like bramble and ground elder just grow through the matting, and they're impossible to get out because you can't follow the roots under the matting to remove the whole plant. Other weeds like herb robert, creeping buttercup, willowherb, grasses etc just grow in the bark chippings. I'm thinking of getting some hardy geraniums and periwinkle to cover it instead - like Fairygirl says, these plants will do more for weed suppression than membrane in lots of cases.

nick615 · May 2022

It won't be the 'quick fix' you may be looking for, but black plastic 'builder's membrane', covering the area and weighted down, will nuke MOST weeds underneath it when left for at least six months, better still a year. The more aggressive invaders like docks and dandelions will still show themselves, but can be dealt with individually when you see them. Weed matting is a woven product and prone to fraying, so has its limitations.

Jenny_Aster · May 2022

nick615 said:

Weed matting is a woven product and prone to fraying, so has its limitations.

You can get non-woven, and in different weights, they're also porous. I suppose if polythene is put under a layer of non-woven restricting water might give the weeds more of a challenge.... but then again, you're laying this barrier on a hill so no doubt the water could seep through.... just a thought.

Obelixx · May 2022

Weed matting isn't cheap and isn't effective in my experience whether it's the woven, plasticky stuff or the matted felty stuff. We have inherited both kinds here with plants inserted in holes in the woven stuff and stony chippings on the felt.

Both are a nightmare as weeds self sow into them and they make the deeper rooted ones like thistles impossible to dig out. Slowly but surely we are removing what we can and planting up but then we have to get rid of the matting and that's a nightmare too.

Try instead to clear small, manageable areas at a time of all weeds and their roots then improve the soil with some well-rotted compost and/or manure and then plant shrubs and ground cover perennials to provide interest and natural weed suppression. You'll need to keep the newly planted areas hoed or else give them a thick mulch of bark or wood chippings to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

Nollie · May 2022

Thick black plastic weighted down for over a year didn’t kill my persistent weeds, the white roots were there writhing around ready to sprout again. Bindweed even grew up through two layers of weed matting and a thick layer of builder’s sand underneath my poly tunnel slabs. On a slope, I agree with others, weed matting is not going to work but thorough weeding and lots of spreading ground cover plants will.

Weed matting - large garden on a slope

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