Weed mat recommendation for allotment etc

[jinkster]

Hello all,

Looking at buying some weed mat online to go in our current overgrown allotment - will be strimmed, cleared and a rough level before laying. Once layed we are going to cover with wood chip and then raised beds added at later date.

Can anyone weed mat - some appears to be like tissue paper and other very tough for driveways.

What would you recommend that will last and be strong enough?

Thanks all.

[smifffymoto]

I used to work at a place which sold lots of this stuff.

Joe Public bought the cheap woven stuff.
The professionals bought Terram.

Make of that what you will,I have used neither.

[Belle427]

I would use the heavy duty type stuff whatever its called.

[Cow Corner]

Personally, I only use weed fabric for temporary control as I don’t like the idea of introducing even more plastic etc into soil where I’ll be growing things.

My method (via Charles Dowding) is to use membrane to knock back the weeds initially, then I use a couple of layers of cardboard and mulch over that with woodchip for paths and with compost for beds.

[dhutch]

Yeah I didn't use a weed membrane under our gravel drive either. Not issues with weeds, no microplastic mess for someone to deal with in 50 years time.

Cardboard works well as a weed suppressant, leave it outside for a rain cycle or two and the tape comes of quickly and easily.

You can also get wool blanket, which we have bought this year for our strawberry patch. Creeper will grow through it but that's about it so far.