Using mypex in raised beds

censuspro

Any thoughts on using mypex in raised beds for growing veg to prevent grass and weeds growing over time. My only concern is that it wont allow water pass through to the soil. Any thoughts on using mypex in raised beds and if not what is the alternative? I spoke a top soil supplier today and asked him the same question, he suggested using roundup to kill the grass even though he knew I was growing vegetables??? Does anyone else think that to be an odd suggestion, I don't want weed killer near anything I intend to eat even if there is going to 12 inches of topsoil on top of the grass?

paddy147

censuspro wrote: »

Any thoughts on using mypex in raised beds for growing veg to prevent grass and weeds growing over time. My only concern is that it wont allow water pass through to the soil. Any thoughts on using mypex in raised beds and if not what is the alternative? I spoke a top soil supplier today and asked him the same question, he suggested using roundup to kill the grass even though he knew I was growing vegetables??? Does anyone else think that to be an odd suggestion, I don't want weed killer near anything I intend to eat even if there is going to 12 inches of topsoil on top of the grass?

It does.

Infact it keeps the soil below nice and moist.

rickmoister

I use it all time on raised beds makes it very easy as there no weeds . Just make sure you use the proper mypex and not the cheaper stuff as I found this actually encourages weed and grass growth.

Sonnenblumen

censuspro wrote: »

Any thoughts on using mypex in raised beds for growing veg to prevent grass and weeds growing over time. My only concern is that it wont allow water pass through to the soil. Any thoughts on using mypex in raised beds and if not what is the alternative? I spoke a top soil supplier today and asked him the same question, he suggested using roundup to kill the grass even though he knew I was growing vegetables??? Does anyone else think that to be an odd suggestion, I don't want weed killer near anything I intend to eat even if there is going to 12 inches of topsoil on top of the grass?

Mypex is a branded membrane product which is permeable, allowing water and oxygen through and inhibit weed growth. Not all weed membrane barriers are the same, or as effective or last as long as Mypex. Many of these products are manufactured in different ways and with different materials. Mypex has become a generic term to describe any weed barrier membrane (a bit like 'Hoover' in vacuum cleaners') and there are no shortage of imitators.

I would have thought growing veg would involve more regular digging of soil than the more static form of ornamental gardening making the latter more suitable for using weedbarriers and the former unnecessary?

In fact, as in herbaceous gardening, mypex could be unsuitable as it can restrict/inhibit some growth potential?

If you're building a raised bed on a current grass area, simply line the grass with damp newspapers before adding soil, the newspapers will kill the grass and eventually bio-degrade without leaving any harmful effects. Allow topsoil to settle for a few weeks and hoe regularly, pretty soon you will have a weed free soil. An alternative labour saving method would be to cover the area with old carpet/black plastic for a short period.

pwurple

I would not use mypex in a bed for vegetables. You will need loads of holes in it to allow the veg to grow, making it less useful as a weed barrier. Plus as said above, you will be digging over a veg bed much more often as you harvest and replant.

redser7

It works very well in veg beds for certain things. It's good for strawberries which will be in a bed for 3 years on average. It not only keeps the weeds down but keeps the fruit clean. It's also good for onions and garlic that can suffer from weed competition and need regular hoeing. As its easy to damage these while hoeing, planting through weed barrier is a great solution.
What are you thinking of growing through it?

paddy147

A 50 meter long x 1.5 meter wide roll of Mypex will set you back around 55-60 euro.
Its bloody good stuff for surpressing weeds and its great for strawberry beds,you will see plenty of it used in allotments around the country,and also in long narrow strawberry/onion beds.

Also handy for under new hedgerows.

Sonnenblumen

Was the OP not enquiring about using Mypex for growing veg and not fruit?

Not too hard to imagine how difficult it would be to harvest any deep rooted veg grown under mypex.

censuspro

OP here: just to clarify' I'm planning on putting down mypex and placing raised bed on top And then filling in top soil of approx 12 inches for growing spuds, onions and carrots. The idea of using mypex was to stop grass and weeds growing in the raised beds.

redser7

That's why I specified which plants it works well for. Onions and garlic are vegetables.
Census pro, it would not be a good idea to line the bottom of your bed with weed barrier. As sonnenblumen suggested, lining with layers of newspaper works well as it will eventually rot down for you.

redser7

Just dig over the area, turn the sod upside down, lay your paper, then your bed and fill it

censuspro

redser7 wrote: »

That's why I specified which plants it works well for. Onions and garlic are vegetables.
Census pro, it would not be a good idea to line the bottom of your bed with weed barrier. As sonnenblumen suggested, lining with layers of newspaper works well as it will eventually rot down for you.

So would you advocate using mypex for vegetables in general or should I just use newspaper? I already have some mypex btw.

redser7

Mypex goes on top of the soil and people plant through ut, not underneath it. Generally spoeaking people would use it for perrenials, trees, shrubs etc and not for vegetables. But it is useful for certain vegetables. If you want to keep weeds down on the surface for other veg. use cardboard, grass clippings, compost, manure etc where appropriate as a mulch.

rickmoister

The Veg I plant with mypex on top of the of the raised beds are
Onions
Peas
Cabbage
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Sprouts
After harvesting I remove the mypex and place compost and FYM on the beds and let the worms do the work . I put the mypex on again when I am ready to plant again. Having being doing this for 5 of the last 6 years (1 year I tried it without too lazy) and I have had great results.Also use in the fruit patch.

Sgt Pepper 64

censuspro wrote: »

OP here: just to clarify' I'm planning on putting down mypex and placing raised bed on top And then filling in top soil of approx 12 inches for growing spuds, onions and carrots. The idea of using mypex was to stop grass and weeds growing in the raised beds.

its ok cenuspro, Sonnenblumen was just trying to get a rise out of Paddy. (They have history!)
Who would have thought gardening was such a diverse subject?
Paddy was merely offering extra advice

Lon.C

You can get a commercial fabric weed barrier from a garden centre. Or you can use old cardboard boxes or newspaper. Mypex would retain too much water for your beds.

paddy147

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

its ok cenuspro, Sonnenblumen was just trying to get a rise out of Paddy. (They have history!)
Who would have thought gardening was such a diverse subject?
Paddy was merely offering extra advice

Thanks.:)

paddy147

Lon.C wrote: »

You can get a commercial fabric weed barrier from a garden centre. Or you can use old cardboard boxes or newspaper. Mypex would retain too much water for your beds.

You can buy Mypex per the meter in some garden centres/nurseries or you an buy full large rolls of it in various widths and lengths too (pics on previous page).:)

Can also be bought from NAD,any good co-op/agri store and also some builders providers too

Sonnenblumen

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

its ok cenuspro, Sonnenblumen was just trying to get a rise out of Paddy. (They have history!)
Who would have thought gardening was such a diverse subject?
Paddy was merely offering extra advice

The pertinent point being one knows and the other doesn't!

paddy147

rickmoister wrote: »

The Veg I plant with mypex on top of the of the raised beds are
Onions
Peas
Cabbage
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Sprouts
After harvesting I remove the mypex and place compost and FYM on the beds and let the worms do the work . I put the mypex on again when I am ready to plant again. Having being doing this for 5 of the last 6 years (1 year I tried it without too lazy) and I have had great results.Also use in the fruit patch.

Sweet,Nice one.

Also for pumpkins too.:)


You see Mypex used in allotment beds and long narrow onion,cabbage,cauliflower and strawberry beds.

The slash and fold X method and then pop in your veg or fruit plants.

Great way to keep the weeds away (while away from the allotment) and get a good crop too,as per our own allotment.:)

My Potatoes

censuspro wrote: »

So would you advocate using mypex for vegetables in general or should I just use newspaper? I already have some mypex btw.

Use the Mypex. The newspaper will just deteriorate.

Either removed the sod or turn it over. Lay the Mypex next. Then your raised bed on top of that. Fill the raised bed to the brim with growing media. Plant away...

Sonnenblumen

My Potatoes wrote: »

Use the Mypex. The newspaper will just deteriorate.

Either removed the sod or turn it over. Lay the Mypex next. Then your raised bed on top of that. Fill the raised bed to the brim with growing media. Plant away...

redser7

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

The pertinent point being one knows and the other doesn't!

That's big of you to admit you can be wrong SB.

redser7

My Potatoes wrote: »

Use the Mypex. The newspaper will just deteriorate.

Either removed the sod or turn it over. Lay the Mypex next. Then your raised bed on top of that. Fill the raised bed to the brim with growing media. Plant away...

The paper is supposed to deteriorate, you don't want a permenent layer of plastic at ground level.

Sonnenblumen

redser7 wrote: »

That's big of you to admit you can be wrong SB.

As if you would know?

My Potatoes

redser7 wrote: »

The paper is supposed to deteriorate, you don't want a permenent layer of plastic at ground level.

A permanent layer of permeable plastic, such as Mypex or standard weed proof fabric will prevent weeds from growing from the ground underneath, into the raised bed itself. Any barrier that deteriorates will only prevent weed growth temporarily.

Being permeable, it will allow the movement of water thru' the raised bed and into the ground below.

redser7

Have to disagree. Some plants could try send roots deeper than the soil in the bed and hit the weed barrier. Also, The vast majority of seeds would not germinate that deep down and make it to the surface so I don't see the need for a permenent barrier. Paper will stop anything that is currently growing or any seeds that are germinating at the time of making the bed.

Daithio12

My Potatoes wrote: »

A permanent layer of permeable plastic, such as Mypex or standard weed proof fabric will prevent weeds from growing from the ground underneath, into the raised bed itself. Any barrier that deteriorates will only prevent weed growth temporarily.

Being permeable, it will allow the movement of water thru' the raised bed and into the ground below.

That's nonsense, how do you think anything will continue to grow underground without sunlight.
If you are putting 12 inches or more of soil on top of grass, then that grass will rot and die.
There is no need for a weed barrier underground, it's utterly pointless.

My Potatoes

Depends on the depth of raised bed; some are only a few centimetres deep.

Given the effort and expense of a raised bed, and the long term nature of it, spending an extra €uro or two at the start makes sense to me.

redser7

It's got nothing to do with cost, the beauty of the paper is hat it is temporary.