Weed supressing membrane

WeAreGhosts

I've just got an allotment. While it's not too bad, condition wise, it has a lot of nettles and I'm not going to be able to use it all this year as it's quite large.

I've been told to put membrane on a lot of it to kill the weeds for this year, but which would people recommend? Or is there another (cheaper?) way of doing this?

Brie

cardboard? the sort that furniture is packed in - big sheets. I know some people use that to build up layers in a garden and then put soil over top. the cardboard should over the year disintegrate and help with the soil condition as well. so maybe that means you just need something not expensive to keep things in place?

and don't forget to ask your allotment neighbours for their advice. I'm sure you'll get some good leads!!

Emmia

The problem with plastic membranes is they just cover the soil preventing plants rotting into the soil to provide nutrients. Cardboard breaks down over time so is a better choice.

twopenny

Before you put anything down chop off all the nettles and put them in a tub half filled with water and let them rot there.

It gives a great feed for plants. Bit high in nitrogen so if there's some comfrey around put that in too and you won't have to buy liquid feed all year.

Or just take them half way and leave them for the butterflies to breed on.

Peacock, Red Admiral, Comma, Small tortoiseshell, Painted Lady. There is a rare one too that only feeds on nettles. I used to keep a small patch for both these things.

WeAreGhosts

Thanks all.

Yes, I think I will be on the local Facebook groups begging for cardboard. I thought if it wasn't covered it would just go mushy, but at least it would smother everything.

I've started a tub for nettles, but only the ones that are in my way at the moment. I'm going to leave small patches. I saw a few butterflies yesterday including an orange-tipped. Lots of ladybirds seem to be using them as cover, too.

twopenny

Ladybirds that's great.

I have a box hedge that was being devoured by moths (folk said nothing could be done) but along came a pair of Dunlins and cleared it right out 😁 I got a clean hedge, entertainment and the birds and easy meal for their chicks!

More bugs, more birds fewer gardeners pests. Perfect.

horsewithnoname

weed suppressing fabric doesn’t work any better than cardboard, having tried both, and the cardboard will rot whereas the fabric- which also rots - puts more plastic into the ground so isn’t a good thing.

-taff

wet the cardboard first to help it conform to the soil, then chuck wood chip on top, it stops the cardboard flying away when dry and will give you extra compost when it rots down [1-2 years].

If you know any arborists, or whatever they're properly called, ask them if they can dump a load off for you, or cover with manure or whatever you can lay your hands on.

I source my cardboard for free from the back of local warehouses, the local music shop etc. Most big shops have cardboard bins or trolleys.

Woodchip, I found a local gardener/tree surgeon who delivered a load for a tenner, cheaper than paying to dispose of it. And I found where the local council dump some…Keep your eyes and ears open, look at fbmp, gumtree etc.

Also see if there's anyone local with horse manure. Chuck a load of unrotted stuff on top and leave it for a year, it will be lovely. Check that there has been no aminopyralid use in whatever hay the horse ate first though.

I think it's the cinnabar moth that is nettles?

FreeBear

Also see if there's anyone local with horse manure. Chuck a load of unrotted stuff on top and leave it for a year, it will be lovely.

Horse manure is good, but it can also bring in a lot of nettles which will quickly take root.