To keep weeds away from planted areas from the outset, you can lay weed fleece or weed film. If you would like to spread the material on a bed that is already overgrown with wild plants, the question arises: Do we have to weed mechanically beforehand or can the fleece be laid out directly? You can find out how to do this correctly in the following article.
Can you put weed fleece directly on weeds?
Before laying weed fleece on a weed-infested bed, stubborn weeds should be removed mechanically. After weeding, soil improvement and smoothing, the fleece can be laid out and fixed in an overlapping manner. It is then covered with a thin layer of bark mulch, gravel or earth.
What is weed control?
Weed film is available in wide fabric strips, which are usually dark in color. As a result, light no longer reaches the weeds growing underneath and the plants die.
The bed is completely covered with the sheets and only in those places that are to be planted are we cut in a cross shape. Finally, the fabric is covered with a layer of mulch or earth.
Weed fleece is permeable to water and air, so that ornamental and crop plants are supplied with all the necessary nutrients. The material also stores heat and moisture and thereby protects the plants.
Which fleece should I use?
Weed fleece with a thickness of 50 grams per square meter is quite thin. Many weeds are able to penetrate this film. Therefore, this material is not suitable if you want to cover a weedy bed with fleece. Here you should choose a fabric with at least 150 grams per square meter that is thick enough to offer sufficient resistance to even strong weeds.
Certain preliminary work makes sense
Stubborn weeds can still grow through the fleece, for example at the planting sites. It is therefore advisable to weed mechanically again before laying the film.
- In addition to the weeds, also remove stones and foreign objects that could puncture the material.
- Amend the soil with compost and then smooth it.
- Spread the fleece over the bed, overlapping.
- Fix the film at the corners with stones to prevent it from slipping.
- Distribute the plants so that you can check the later bed design again before planting.
- Using a sharp knife, cut a small cross into the fabric in the desired places.
- Insert the plants and place the fleece as closely as possible to the plant.
- Cover the entire weed sheet with a layer of bark mulch, gravel or a very thin layer of soil.
Tip
Since the layer of soil or mulch spread over the fleece is very fine, emerging weed seeds can be easily removed. At the same time, the fabric is no longer visible and the bed fits harmoniously into the garden design.
