Advice on Weed Membrane

[Furton]

I've recently ripped up my front garden as part of a larger renovation project, previously it was paved over and overgrown with weeds.

I've removed the old slabs and weeds and planted a load of new plants with the intention of putting decorative aggregate over the soil. Last night I bought some weed membrane and placed it over the soil. When I watered the plants I noticed the water was sitting on top of the membrane and not draining through.

I did some research and generally found the consensus on gardening forums was to not place and membrane and instead put a decent covering of aggregate or mulch instead.

Anyone have any advice before I order the aggregate?

 

[Maccapacca]

Punch a load of holes in it with a fork. Your garden fork, don't spend hours with your best silverware

 

[boxman2000]

Don't punch holes in it as weeds will come through.

I'd put slate or stones on top. I've had this sort of setup for 10+ years and everything has survived with no issues whatsoever.

 

[Yaayuh!]

For plants, you're meant to use water permeable membrane, like this: http://www.wickes.co.uk/Apollo-Landscape-Fabric-20m-x-1m/p/160172

That way water can drain through but stops (95%) of weeds germinating.

 

[Furton]

Don't punch holes in it as weeds will come through.

I'd put slate or stones on top. I've had this sort of setup for 10+ years and everything has survived with no issues whatsoever.

Did your membrane hold water or did it generally penetrate through?

 

[boxman2000]

Did your membrane hold water or did it generally penetrate through?

Mine was mypex which is waterproof but of course I had to cut an X in order to plant trees and shrubs which is logically where a lot of the water will run but the ground will get saturated over time from the sides. It is on a slope so water definitely didn't sit on it, but I do have slate on top as well.

One example of not to put holes in membrane: where my old shed sat, I took it out and how has large trampoline on top - rather than re-grassing it or putting a substrate on it, I just put mypex on it but pinned it down with some flat top pegs... I can confirm weeds do find their way through where the pegs are hammered through.

If I were you I would look to put some kind of substrate on top of what you have.

I have had this area planted for over 10 years and everything has grown superbly.

Also I have mypex in a part of my driveway and although weeds have eventually come through (some inevitably will) it certainly makes life a lot easier (I regularly drive over this so no doubt it has thousands of small holes in it from the gravel.

 

[Amp34]

Loads of mulch won't keep all weeds at bay, especially if there is anything like couch grass in the soil, same with weed membrane. A thick layering of stone will definitely help more though. For any weeds that do come through (such as aforementioned couch grass) I've taken to spraying them with non selective weed killer, which should wipe out the roots as well as the leaves, and hopefully stop it coming through over time. Obviously less invasive weeds can just be pulled.

If you have plants in there I don't think a waterproof membrane is going to be a great idea. Even with the plant holes you aren't going to get enough water in there to properly water the plants form rainfall alone IMO. Perhaps replace it with a non waterproof weed membrane.