I've seen some people mention that weed mat shouldn't be used in planting beds, but no reasons why. Solution for weeds is thick layer of mulch, and annual application of snapshot/preen? Anybody care to expand their thoughts on the subject?
years ago when i first started planting, mulching, i was a firm believer that weed barrier should be used under mulch. the people here told me no way, no how, never. what i noticed: the work we did, where a barrier was used, after a few months, you could see the plants deteriorating, just looking sickly, thinning, they lived, but looked terrible. the work we did with the barrier, looked good years after. the mulch breaks down, turns to dirt, then u have a layer of dirt, then the barrier which is now clogged and nothing can pass through it. water and air cannot get through, the plants health deteriorates. i believe this to be true, but i been wrong before.
Thanks bobby. That's what I've been looking for, good, logical reasoning for not using barrier...... wait a second, am I about to base an install decision on logical reasoning from bobbygedd?!?! Bobby, with proper mulching thickness and renewal year to year, do you have weed problems with beds that don't have the weed barrier? are you using snapshot or equivalent product for planting bed weed control?
dude, i use a nice 4 inches of mulch the first time, then replenish with 1-2" annually. weeds are minimal, and the few that do grow, only grow in the mulch, they don't come from the soil below. i spray them with roundup. now there's nothing wrong with taking advice from me, you could learn alot from a dummy. back in the day, i grew pot plants so big, they looked like small maple trees.
oh, i'm sorry, in my original post, i meant to say, "the work we did WITHOUT THE BARRIER looked good years after."
Weed mats aren't necessary. The key is to start with a good clean bed first, work in the preen and at least a 2 inch layer of mulch. Re-apply the preen again in summer. This has always worked well for me. Of course if the customer wants it I will put it down. Hope this helps.
