Weed proof membrane

I am thinking of putting a weed proof membrane down to make the front garden easy maitenance, but wondered what if you want to plant bulbs out there? do you just make slits in the sheet above the bulbs to allow them to come through?

Bit confused! Thanks.

 

Hi Muddy,you just cut a x in the membrane and pop your bulb in there.

 

Muddy - yes I agree with mackem.

But I just wanted to say that you have to put a fair thickness (say 2 inches) or gravel or similar on top of the membrane. A normal membrane by itself is not weed proof. Its the gravel layer that is weed proof. The membrane just stops the gravel sinking into the ground when it rains.

 

Wondered why the membrane didn't work round my Fuschias. They didn't tell me that at the G.C. :(

 

Not sure if this is any help to you guys and girls but here's a useful tip and one we use ourself;

When we use membrane on large areas for paths and sitting areas we clear the area first then put really thick carboard down before we place a double layer of the membrane on and then the gravel on top of that.

Before you put the gravel on top of the membrane, hose the whole area down so that the cardboard gets moist and soft, this beds it down great.

The cardboard will in time rot down but in the meantime will allow water to reach the soil underneath ideal if you have put some plants in the gravel areas.

This does work really well but sadly in 'real' gardens even with a membrane on the soil you are going to have to do some kind of weeding still.

Bark chippings will help you a little and if kept moist looks better than old lumpy soil.
Helen.xxx.

 

The cardboard method should work well, and is a good idea - you could also use newspaper. Weeds are capable of pushing their way up through tarmac and even concrete (osmotic pressure - if you remembrer your school days). Consequently membranes are no barrier to them. What stops them growing is the removal of light. Hence the effectiveness of cardboard, and the need for a thick layer of gravel or similar to take over once the cardboard has rotted.

But as Helofadigger says however good your gravel layer is, eventually it will fill with dirt, decomposed leaves etc and weeds will start to grow above the membrane. But they should be easier to remove.