Weed cloth, top or bottom?
#1
06-20-08, 09:28 PM
Weed cloth, top or bottom?
I have a 10X10 area that I want to put top soil in to build it up higher so I can plant some bushes in it. I have top soil, should I put that black weed screen on the bottom over the grass first then the top soil over that, or just put the top soil over the grass, then the weed screen over the top soil? I also want to put mulch on top.
#2
06-21-08, 06:21 AM
Super Moderator
We had to do something similar recently, and we put the weed screen (landscaping fabric) on the bottom and the soil on top, however, we also added a retaining wall in front and the main purpose of the screen was to keep weeds from coming thru the wall. I'm not sure that it's really necessary to add it in your case. If you put it on top, how would you plant anything and if it's on the bottom, there will still be weeds eventually.
#3
06-21-08, 06:38 AM
Super Moderator
topsoil, fabric, plant, mulch.
If yer not planting right away, you can go ahead and put the soil, fabric and mulch in. It's easy to move the mulch out of the way, X cut the fabric where you want to plant, put in the plantings, then fold the fabric back and re-mulch. Be sure to trim the fabric away from the rootball.
You'll still get some weeds sprouting in the mulch over time, but they are easy to remove.
DON't use the perforated plastic fabric! It should be a "screen" type for proper aeration and water pass thru
If yer not planting right away, you can go ahead and put the soil, fabric and mulch in. It's easy to move the mulch out of the way, X cut the fabric where you want to plant, put in the plantings, then fold the fabric back and re-mulch. Be sure to trim the fabric away from the rootball.
You'll still get some weeds sprouting in the mulch over time, but they are easy to remove.
DON't use the perforated plastic fabric! It should be a "screen" type for proper aeration and water pass thru
#5
06-23-08, 04:11 AM
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We just re-did a very large flower bed with many plants and shrubs already there. It had a rock bed instead of mulch but I prefer mulch. After removing as many rocks as possible (yikes!) we put down several sheets of newspaper (4 or 5 at a time) to cut down on weeds and then placed the mulch on top of that. It is less expensive and works like a charm. 
#6
06-25-08, 01:16 PM
I used the weed block and eventually ripped it all out, it caused water runoff and didn't do much in the way of weed prevention.
If you clear the weeds before you establish the bed, use a fertilizer with weed control and get the weeds as they appear you should be fine.
If you clear the weeds before you establish the bed, use a fertilizer with weed control and get the weeds as they appear you should be fine.
