Weed membrane recommendations

@JWK can you let me know if the membrane you got from Lidl frays or not. I have lots of membrane which I've used under barkchip to suppress weeds on my shrub borders but while being very tough and does the job it frays like the devil. Fine if you are leaving it in situ and not cutting loads of holes in it but not so good to plant through. If it doesn't fray too badly then I'll pay a visit to my local lidl and buy a few packs. Thanks.

 

Thanks @JWK I'll wait to hear and hope for the best! It's only because I still have masses of the other membrane that I don't want to go and get more of similar. I bought a massive roll 100mtrs x 4.5 mtrs about 4 years ago and covered most of my shrub beds in it. Massively cheaper than buying small amounts from anywhere remotely to do with gardening.I've still got about 25 mtrs. It's very very strong stuff (used in the construction industry keeping the likes of gravel separate from mud but it does fray which isn't so good for grown veg through it.

 

Thanks very much@JWK, good of you to let me know. I am not surprised at the fraying issue. When I bought the huge roll of membrane it was too big to fit in my car so someone in the store cut the huge roll in half and used a stihl saw. The saw obviously produced a fair amount of heat and did do quite a good job, purely by chance of sealing the cut edge! The paint stripper gun I reckon would work but bit of a job. Agree membrane is meant to make life easier not more difficult! I'll keep my eyes peeled for a more felt type membrane which won't fray.

 

You could use a blowtorch to seal the frays ? Those blue can ones . Heating a metal pole to burn n seal holes to plant up your veggies too?

 

Use a spare scrap to check what a gas torch does before starting on a large sheet. I tried it several times but it distorted the material making a large messy hole. Cut holes will fray and my oldest sheets (first used in 2012) are looking a bit tatty, but are soon covered with vegetation.

At 40p/m2, 5 years use before replacing will cost around 1p/tomato plant, 8p/courgette plant, 0.5p/Leek, Onion, French Beans plant (beans are kept mud free), etc., reduce watering and virtually eliminate weeding. I haven't included the cost of fixings because they can keep being reused.

Rolls/sheets are cut to width using a heat sealing process, but walking over the sealed edges can start them fraying. Never let a strimmer line touch the sheets! Ends are usually roughly cut and need to be tucked under before pegging down. Small sheets in packs (like from Lidl) are sometimes heat sealed all round.

 

Got another 100m2 delivered today 35p/m2 from http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111928631858

Bought 2 big rolls of heavy duty wire at car boots last year, about £7 for a total of 500m, enough for pegging down about 1,000m2.