The Ins and Outs of Weed Mats
Weed mats, if used correctly, can help create the easy-care, low maintenance garden of your dreams! They are a popular tool used by gardeners and experienced landscapers alike to reduce the growth of weeds, maintain a neat garden and reduce general upkeep. Weed mats can be used when creating a garden or landscaped area from scratch, or when trying to tame an existing one. Sounds perfect right?! But as with any gardening tool there are a few downsides alongside the benefits… so let’s have a look at the pros and cons of weed mats so you can make the right choice for your next gardening project!
Our number one pro to using weed mats is quite obvious… weed suppression! Weed mats are designed to block the sunlight out which inhibits the growth of weeds by preventing them from getting the energy they need to sprout. No one likes pulling weeds or having them pop up unexpectedly making pebbled, gravelled or mulched areas look untidy or wild! Another pro to using weed mats is their ability to improve the soils moisture retention. Weed mats will reduce the amount of water evaporation from the soil by giving it coverage or protection from the sun. This pro is particularly beneficial if you live in a warm, dry climate and is eco-friendly as you’ll be watering less. Less watering, less weeding means you will save considerable time maintaining your garden. Having a manageable garden environment means you have more time just to sit and enjoy it! And our last pro – if you are using your weed mat in a sloped or exposed area it will help with erosion control. The covering will help keep the soil in place and prevent it from washing away in heavy rain.
As I’ve already mentioned there are of course a few downsides to using weed mats too. If you are planning to plant out the area that you have covered with the weed mat your plants may have limited access to nutrients. The weed mat can block organic matter (like compost or leaves) from getting into the soil and over a period of time this could result in poor soil health giving less nutrients to your plants. Alongside this, plants with shallow roots may struggle to spread and access these limited nutrients, impacting their growth. While laying weed mat will definitely highly reduce the occurrence of weeds it’s not a complete block out, they still might come through. Highly resilient ( highly annoying!) weeds may emerge, or they might pop up around the edges of the mat or through any punctured areas. Over time weeds may even grow on top of the fabric if enough mulch or soil builds up. Our last downside of using weed mats is the fact that even the best fabrics can decompose or deteriorate, this would take a fair while however but would result in additional long-term maintenance or “re-doing” of the area. Keeping the area well covered with mulch, stones or other products can help with longevity and keep the area looking tidy and fresh.
As with the use of any gardening product proper installation is key. Here’s a quick how-to with our top tips for laying weed mat easily and effectively.
Prepare
Starting off with a blank canvas will get you off to a great start. Clear the area of existing weeds, rocks and any other debris. If you are planning on planting the area out, you might want to prepare the soil by loosening it and adding fertilizer or compost to enrich the soil as much as possible. You won’t have access to it once the mat goes down!
Cut
Once you’ve measured the garden bed or area that needs to be covered you can cut the mat to size. Use a sharp utility knife or scissors to ensure clean edges. It’s best to cut a little bit larger than the designated space to be sure the fabric covers the edges properly.
Lay
Get the positioning right – make sure there is a good amount of overlap between sheets if you’re covering a large area (at least 6 inches) to prevent sneaky weeds coming up through the joins!
Secure
Garden staples or U-pins can be used to secure the fabric in place. Push them in through the mat every 60cm or so and also along the seams of any overlapping sheets. The fabric should be taught and lying flat on the ground once this step is complete.
Plant
If you are planning on planting the area out, now is the time to cut holes for them to be dug in. Cut X-shaped slits where you would like the plants to go – fold back the fabric and dig a hole for your plant. Once planted place the fabric back around the base of the plant.
Cover
Now for the fun part! Cover the mat with whatever medium you desire – mulch, gravel, pebbles, decomposed granite… and see your landscaped area take shape!
In conclusion, weed mats are a highly popular product to use when combating weeds in a garden space. They do come with a few downsides but if you have an area where weed control is of top priority, and you have the means to install it correctly and effectively it is most likely a great option for you to take.
At Cobble Patch Loganlea, we have weed mats in a range of sizes. If you’re ready to create an area in your outdoor space where you can spend more time relaxing and less time weeding, pop in and take your pick of our top-quality selection today!