I'm looking for some advice on how to deal with a weed and patchy grass situation in my back garden. I plan to cover a large area with plastic sheeting and stone chippings, but I'm worried about what kind of weed killer I should use before doing this. Is there something that will work quickly enough, or can I spray something that will still be effective after I put down the sheet? Ideally, I want to prevent any growth through the stones in the future.
3 Answers
Just don’t spray anything. The plastic and gravel together should be enough to handle the weeds below. But yes, you might get some weeds on top eventually, which you'll have to manage. It’s not worth trying to kill the soil underneath.
But be careful! Horsetail will pop right through both the sheeting and gravel.
You really don't need to spray anything if you're putting down plastic sheeting. That will kill off most weeds already in the ground. Just a couple of tips: ditch the plastic and go for landscaping fabric instead. Also, keep in mind this isn’t a one-and-done solution; weeds can still seed on top of the gravel over time, and the fabric can get damaged. For a low-maintenance garden, keeping all grass and mowing it regularly can really help.
Yeah, I thought the same! But I’ve got horsetail growing. I was hoping to spray something to get rid of it before it seeds more. I'm just worried about cutting the grass with the mower since the previous owner mixed dirt with stones.
Trust me, don't use fabric – it's a hassle for whoever comes after you!
Honestly, if you go with gravel, you're signing up for some serious weeding in the future. Have you considered just digging up the area and improving the soil? You could even plant some shrubs that do well in poor soil instead of going with gravel. It might be more effort initially but could save you work later.
Yeah, I don't suggest using plastic sheeting at all. That might not help against stubborn weeds like horsetail!