Any recommendations for weed suppressant membrane?

[Mutley56]

Hi all,

Can anyone give me any pointers as to good quality weed suppressant membrane to use to cover an area of about 60sq metres of soil? I want to use the area for a shed and my childrens' paly area.

Should I spray the bare earth with weed killer before laying the membrane down?

Thanks you for your thoughts.

Mutley56

 

[EddieM]

not really any idea about makes, but a water permeable one is certainly the type to go for.

 

[oilman]

Only the heavyweight woven types are close to reasonable. Something like 180gm/sq m. You won't need it under a shed, these are naturally weed suppressing.

What sort of play area is it that you think a weed suppressing membrane will provide?

It seems rather unnecessary.

Here are a few links if you think weed killers are ok

http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Actives/glyphosate2.htm

http://www.indsp.org/A GM-Free Sustainable World.pdf (look up glyphosate on the pdf viewer finder)

http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Issue/pn63/pn63p4.htm

http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/chris/2004/01/12/roundup_ready_grass_ge.htm

I have got more like this if you need it.

 

[Thermo]

the only one we will use is plantex, very good quality. should be about 45-50 per 2 x 25m roll. No need to spray the ground. We always peg it at the edges and on the overlaps

 

[Mutley56]

Hi EddieM, oilman and Thermo,

Thank you so much for your thoughts on this matter.

Oilman, I want to put the membrane down and then cover that over with rubber chips that I found on the internet somewhere that are sold in tonne bags. This would be the ground covering for the play area and the remaining area around the proposed shed will have a covering of I don't quite know what as yet.

Thermo, I'll look to get some Plantex membrane this weekend as the mix of sun and rain recently will see goodness knows what growing up in the near future.

EddieM, I guess the Plantex membrane will be water permeable as I don't want a duck pond developing there!

Thanks again.

Mutley56

 

[Mutley56]

By the way Thermo,

What pegs do you use for the Plantex membrane?

Mutley56

 

[oilman]

There's never any free lunches. You might want to google rubber chips and leaching.

 

[Mutley56]

Thanks for the tip oilman, I'll look into this. Maybe it wil have to be playbark or some of the, no doubt, very expensive rubber paving slabs that are in the Council paygrounds these days.

Thanks again.

Mutley56

 

[oilman]

Or just put some grass down, if it wears out, children don't mind getting muddy. You could plant a few bushes that they could hide amongst.

 

[Thermo]

By the way Thermo,

What pegs do you use for the Plantex membrane?

Mutley56

we use a plastic one with a large button top we get from a horticultural supplier.

 

[Mutley56]

Hi oilman and Thermo,

I'll put the weed suppressant membrane down and some sort of soft covering for the play area and it probably is a good idea to turf the area for the shed; but not a good time of theyear to lay turf I suspect.

I'll try to remember to post a pic or two when I've completed the job. School holidays soon so I've gotta get it done on the hurry up!

Thanks again,

Mutley56

 

[Thermo]

Fine to lay turf now if youre happy to water it