Laying Gravel on Soil and stopping weeds?

UK.SURREY


I have just cleared and amazing extra 10 foot length of garden due to getting rid of brambles. I Have dug up the roots etc and cleared the area right down to the soil base (thick clay we are!) I want to put Gravel or slate chippings and use big pots for colourful plants....but how do I stop the weeds coming through again!! Is there some form of sheeting one puts under the gravel? Whats it called....where do you get it...how much is it? The area is about 12 by 50 ft. Thanks people!!

Laying Gravel on Soil and stopping weeds?
Im a gardener. Im guessing that although you have dug up the roots to the brambles there will be some roots remaining, guaranteed. Brambles are notoriously difficult to get rid of, easily...... I would leave the ground fallow (do nothing with it for a few weeks) and see what weeds start to re grow. When any remaining re-grown weeds are grown to at least 6 inches I would treat with a herbicide treatment like Glyphosate or Round Up (follow the instructions to the letter-BEWARE) which work on killing the weed right down to the root - watch it die and then, and only then, purchase a myoprene membrane (like polyester sacking) from a reputable source (good garden centre/nursery or wholesaler), overlapping by 6 inches each strip you lay - on levelled ground, pin the membrane down, before putting any gravel/chip/covering down. I've seen it so many times - if you don't do the preparation properly the weeds will grow up through the membrane and they are a nightmare to get rid of.


Hope this helps!
Reply:I have covered 50% of my back garden in gravel (too lazy to cut grass), and I used a membrane which does stop the weeds. You will still get weeds growing, but they actually grow in the chippings and have no real root system so are easy to pull. I bought mine from Do-It-All, it cost £7.99 for a sheet 6 metres x 2 metres.
Reply:we used something called landscaping fabric.......it allows water to drain away but stops weeds growing............we've had ours down about 3years and it works like a dream..........you can get it from screwfix(we did) in the new catalogue its 14.99 for 1m x 14m roll or 39.99 for a 11m x 4.4m sheet theres also some heavy duty stuff been reduced by 20% 1m x 100m 47.99...........or 2m x 50m 47.99...........You can also get it from do-it-all / b%26amp;q /wickes etc and local garden centres but i don't know the price





hope this helps......it'll look lovely when you've done.......we totally hardscaped our garden as neither me or my husband are gardeners.....we used a mixture of decking and chippings.......15ton of the latter!!! (took some shifting!!! wheelbarrow and just the two of us!!).........but it looks great and i do feel smug when i sit there with a glass of wine listening to people mowing!!!!!!!!!!!





anyway all the best!!
Reply:there is a porous sheeting you can buy that you lay on top of the soil and below the gravel..will allow water in and keep weeds out..you,ll have to cut holes in it for your plants to get the roots in the soil..theres different qaulity grades you can buy..if i remeber right i paid about 20 bucks for a 3x 30 foot roll
Reply:Yeah its called a membrane (sp?) and you should be able to get it at any garden centre, just lay it down and put the gravel on the top and voila!





Not sure on the price, cant be too expensive and its well worth doing!
Reply:any good garden centre will sell the plastic sheeting and its not expensive.once lay ed and gravel on top ,you will have years of weed free gardening.
Reply:by a strong weedkiller and put that down first, then about a week later, put your gravel down. the roots that are left from your brambles will die, and the gravel will stop them getting oxygen and therefore stop them growing again. thats what my boyfriend did 6 years ago and has never had a weed since.
Reply:u could use 'weed mat' which u can buy in long rolls, although amn't sure of the price in the uk but i am pretty sure u can get it it most garden and home and hardware stores.
Reply:There is a product called typar which can be laid down before spreading the gravel..The typar I have seen is thick and black. Don't know what it costs and have no idea where you can get it in the UK. It is sometimes used as an underlayment in road constrution, also.