WEEDS + FLOWERBEDS!!

gjc

Please help I have two large flowerbeds with some lovely flowers shrubs and bulbs in it. But it always looks crap, the position of some of them are out of place higher shrubs to the front rather than the back (nearest the wall) but my biggest problem are WEEDS. I have lots of them!! All I seem to do is weeding. No sooner do I weed but up pops more. The soil is very wet and clumpy so a how doesnt do a good job. Very tempted to get rid of everything and start again?? Any suggestions?? I have no mulch down did try putting bark down but it blew all over the place and the slugs and snails loved it.:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: Please help as I would love to see it looking good

stackerman

You could try putting some membrane down and then covering with some pebbles or rockery stone, something like this

http://www.stones4homes.co.uk/Garden-Membrane-prod/default.aspx

Ive done something like this and it has worked a treat. There is a bit of work in it though, but better then weeding :D

blackharvester

putting membrane down is good idea, but it should be done when you are planting plants. when you have a lot of flowers and shrubs in the beds it is nearly impassible to do good job with membrane. special if you have bulbs in the soil. i think you have to do good weeding once, and then every second week check beds and pull out weeds before they will get bigger. then you will have nice beds all year

keithcan

The putting down membrane is good idea. My suggesting would be to dig up the big shrubs at the front and replant at the back. If it's a big area with a lot of shrubs, you could do it in sections, e.g. enough for 2 or 3 widths of the membrane so you don't have a huge amount of digging with many plants to move. Then come back another time to do more of it. When all is done with shrubs repositioned and membrane down, you could get the covering material, like the stones in the picture, cos they're cheaper bought in one bigger load.

gjc

Many thanks to you all, yes membrane I think is the way to go. Doing it in sections is good also as I can work through the beds in my own time. Ta! appreciate it!!:)

Sonnenblumen

A more effective (and smarter approach) would be to (a) remove shrubs from area (b) spray area with weedkiller (c) remove spoil after 7-14 days (d) instal liner and (e) re-plant shrubs.

If the area is heavily weed infested, putting a liner on top may not resolve your weed problems as ther are several weeds if established can penetrate/grow along or under barrier to find a weak point.;)

gjc

Many thanks, yes there are alot of weeds one in particular which I think is buttercup has very deep roots which seem to continuously branch sideways. I am going to do this once only and I want to get it right so I think I will remove the stock that I want. Would it be too late in the year to remove them now or should I wait until spring??

Sonnenblumen

You can tackle the area now.

jezko

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

A more effective (and smarter approach) would be to (a) remove shrubs from area (b) spray area with weedkiller (c) remove spoil after 7-14 days (d) instal liner and (e) re-plant shrubs.

I would agree with you in all this except for (e) re-plant Shrubs...
Some weeds tend to have roots intertwined with the shrubs roots and will be reintroduced to your "clean" bed ...
Better to Dig out your Shrubs and plant into big Pots or a different Clean bed allow to grow on a year and spot treat any weeds that remain before returning to your Original bed....

Sonnenblumen

if the weeds were so congested even within rootball, it is not impossible to remove weeds. In severe cases, simply wash soil and weed from rootball and transplant cleaned rootball. I doubt OP would need to be so forensically meticulous? Surely it is possible to hand pick weed from rootball in-situ? Or you can always spot treat weed in existing bed.

Space and time would hardly justify keeping 2 Raised/Beds in order to clean one?

jezko

I have no doubt that you would be able to identify all shrub roots from weeds, I admit I wouldn't be 100% ... Also surely distrubing the root ball too much would increase the risk of killing the Shrub. (I assume they are mature Shrubs)
If the space is there and the OP has the time, is it better to have one Cleaned bed, and ensure the saved shrubs are free from all Perennial Weeds before re-infecting the bed...

whowantstwoknow

Hi all,

I'm in a similar situation, I guess I have approx 80m2 of bedding in the backyard. Beds have a variety of plants from small shrubs to semi-large trees!! I know now I should have done this from the start, but like others I'm getting tired and old of weeding the damn thing

As for the membrane, I've read a number of online threads that one should use Plantex membrane. Anybody know if its available in Ireland? Or a suitable alternative at a good price ;-)

As for putting is down, I guess my best option would be to re-set the small/medium shrubs as I progress and then for the trees etc, plan to have a join around their base and work around them? Any other good suggestions?

These other threads refer to pegs, but would that be overkill?

As for covering it up once done, anybody recommend a good source of mulch or similar? I imagine a bulk purchase would be more cost effective?

Thanks
W.

looksee

If you are going to put down membrane in sections you must fix down all the edges with weights or pegs, but don't underestimate how quickly the wind will lift membrane that does not have chips or stones on it.

Couple more points. If you are putting membrane up to a wall, try and get the membrane down a few inches beside the wall or the weeds will just squeeze up beside the wall, and will be even more difficult to get out.

Also when you are planting shrubs, cut a good sized cross (if you make it too small you will get soil on top of the membrane) and plant the shrub, push the sections of membrane back, then cut a square of membrane and make one cut to the centre from one edge. Put this round the stem so that it covers the cross slits and it will stop weeds sneeking through the cross cuts.

keithcan

Anyone have suggestions on getting rid of Clover which is all over my garden, flowerbeds, lawn, etc?

gjc

keithcan wrote: »

Anyone have suggestions on getting rid of Clover which is all over my garden, flowerbeds, lawn, etc?

Gosh yeah I have loads of that too any ideas?