Weedmat is essentially mulching the ground with a more permanent material, it covers the soil the preventing weeds from gaining hold.
There are two types of weedmat to choose from non woven or woven, they vary in cost and performance.
Woven weedmat is the best performer, it is UV stable, stronger and when covered will last approx 15 years before it starts to show signs of wear and tear. Non woven or spun weedmat is a lighter fabric. It is much cheaper to purchase and will last around 3 years when covered.
Preparation
• Always start with bare ground, remove all weeds or lawn. • Level off any lumps and bumps and fill in any hollows, for a better finished look. • Lay out the weedmat on your prepared soil, if you need more than one piece to cover the area, overlap the two joining pieces. • Use weedmat pins anchor the fabric down in the soil, especially when using installing on a slope. • Place out your plants where you want them and with a sharp knife or scissors cut an x shape a little larger than the size of the plant. • Plant and fertilise, then fold the weedmat back around the plant. • Finish with a top cover at a depth of around 3-5cm in depth.
Team Tips
• Freshen up the top cover every few years this will extend the life of your weedmat by keeping covered from the sun. • For a neat edge especially with the woven cloth which can have a frayed edge, fold it under itself before pinning it down. • Watch out for the persistent Kikuyu as this will just grow along under the mat till it finds a place to pop out, a second spraying maybe required.
