Black Fabric Weed Preventer
- Thread starter SkyRider
- Start date
Garden centres will sell you a stand-up version of the torch for that purpose. $25-$40, uses the same tanks. Of course the carbon footprint's hellacious. The weeds are telling you there aren't enough of the real footprints in those places. Something to think about over winter. If the traffic pattern won't change, then you need a better seal—like papa suggests below—or take up the unneeded paver and replace it with a non-mowing ground cover that'll pretty much choke out the weeds; anything from clover to daylillies (which will grow thru blacktop) that need no care and make it easy to spot the weeds when they're readily pullable, but hide the few, wee ugly sprouts unlike your pavers.
interlock patios with wees growing out of them are the result of dirt and seeds landing between the bricks. If you broom of the surface onc a week or so the weeds stop, round up is still legal and works well
I think there are a couple of issues with black top (asphalt?). Firstly, rainwater will not drain into the ground but run into the city sewers. Secondly, how does one remove the black top should a future occassion arise that makes removal desirable?
I called Quest Plastics earlier this morning. They make a black fabric that carries an infinite guarantee. The lady said place the black fabric on top of the soil, then place the patio stones on top and fill the joints between the stones with sand.
From my experience if you wish to put patio block or pavers down you should use a compacted gravel, pea gravel and sand base for driveways. For lighter use such as walkways and patios ( patios not having a hot tube placed on them ) you need to dig down deep enough to include a one inch compacted lake sand base. This will help to keep the blocks from shifting all over.
I still recommend a gravel base for either application.
Oh please... I purchased the Giant Weed Torch (http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=47306&cat=2,2300,44822) from Lee Valley 8 years ago and am still using the same propane tank that I started with and it was only about half-full then. Can't be that 'hellacious' a carbon footprint.
But if you still think it is, and don't want to use round-up or the like.. my friend uses a 50/50 mix of lemon juice and vinager and sprays her weeds with that. Best time is after it's been hot n' dry for awhile. It works, but her lawn smells like a fish n' chips for a bit. Personally I'd rather cook the weeds with flame.... it's more fun!
Not sure if it's been mentioned but when you lay it you can purposely cut out slits for where you want to plant flowers, bushes, trees etc.
An easy cover is using loose mulch but the downside is you need to lay a fresh layer every year and given time things will try and grow in the mulch. But weeding mulch is easy as the plants come out with little effort.
BTW the black stuff lasts a long time. I remember digging out a garden and trying to figure out why the shovel wasn't penetrating the dirt. Turns out there was a layer of that stuff from years ago. Had to get shears to shred that stuff up.
An easy cover is using loose mulch but the downside is you need to lay a fresh layer every year and given time things will try and grow in the mulch. But weeding mulch is easy as the plants come out with little effort.
BTW the black stuff lasts a long time. I remember digging out a garden and trying to figure out why the shovel wasn't penetrating the dirt. Turns out there was a layer of that stuff from years ago. Had to get shears to shred that stuff up.
Guys, thanks for all the helpful ideas and comments. I am thinking of just covering the yard with a tarp or tarps until I make a decision on what to do for ground covering. I am leaning towards patio stones. The question is still what to put underneath (black fabric, limestone, etc.).
Definitely a better price than Lee Valley.... mind you when I bought mine it was about $38 because it was new and no one wanted them at the time. Only thing I wouldn't like with this one is the shorter hose. Lee Valley's comes with 10' and often that's too short (have to keep moving the tank) so I would recommend getting the 15' hose with Ceiling Cat's alternative.
