Hi, I am planning to de-weed many flower beds in yard and cover with weed cloth. What kinds of experiences have you had and do you have any suggestions for best brands and how well it works. I used it once 5 years ago for a smaller area, and found that many weeds grow right thru it.??? Also, would it be possible to just use fabric I have bought to sew on and don‘t want any more ? Would this cause a problem ? Any landscapers/gardeners out there with some good insight ?
I used it once, and am still regretting it. You can't plant once it's down. The next year you can never find the same holes to use. The 3rd year it started to disintegrate, and I had more weeds than ever before, and I had to deal with the rotting screen. NOW, better late that never, I use Preen and mulch. Get your beds weed free, and spread Preen/directions on container. Spread your mulch, and spread Preen on the mulch. DONE! Preen lasts 6 months. Oh yeah, you may get 1 or 2 stubborn weeds, but that's all. If you haven't heard about it, Preen is a pre-emergent weed barrier. It just doesn't let the weed seeds germinate. In answer to you question regarding regular fabric, no, you can't use it. It will disintegrate even faster than the weed barrier. Just remember that once you spread your Preen there are no flower seeds that can germinate. You have to use plants. If you like it, put it in your vegetable garden, but not until all your lettuce, beets, etc. seeds have germinated.
There are many different kinds of weed barrier fabric available out there. Many are cheap, and with that, you basically get what you pay for. Most people who have bad experiences with it, use the cheap stuff, so is it any wonder they have a bad experience? There is no 100% effective weed barrier fabric. The most effective ones are of a woven fiber composition. I would recommend at least a 3.5 oz. premium grade spun bound polyester. Another one that works really well is Dewitt Pro-5, a 5 oz. woven fabric. They are also commercial quality, and tend to be a bit more pricey, but they will prevent weed growth much more effectively than the cheap ones. I have the Pro-5 in my yard, and the few weeds that I have in my stone mulch are seeds tha have blown in and are growing in the rocks without any soil. The roots get to the fabric and don't penetrate. They don't thrive so they are easy to remove. It runs for about $0.15/sq. ft. in my area and can be purchased on-line or at some nurseries/garden centers. It cost a bit more, but is well worth it and it is rated to last up to 25 years, and this is the particular item that I specify in all my projects. Cover with 3-4 layer of stone or bark mulch.
