BIGGEST Weed Fabric MISTAKES We’ve Made!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 มี.ค. 2024
- Let’s take some time to discuss the biggest mistake we have made with woven ground cover!
#weed fabric #ground cover #homesteading #gardening
**Some of our MOST FAVORITE homestead products**
AMAZON STORE:
www.amazon.com/shop/livingtra...
HARVEST RIGHT FREEZE DRYER: (Affiliate link)
affiliates.harvestright.com/8...
Grower's Solution:
Greenhouses, Weed Fabric, Gardening and Seed Starting Supplies
**Save 10% with code LTH10
www.growerssolution.com/LTH10
Vegega Raised bed gardens - Get 10% off your order check out Vegega at www.vegega.com/?ref=lth10. or use coupon code LTH10 at checkout.
Homestead Shop (formerly our Etsy Shop): Our Seed Starting Cheat Sheet, Rabbit Cookbook and more!
www.livingtraditionshomestead...
To learn more about the Bluetti AC 200 Max and B230 that we use to power our workshop follow this link. shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=174542...
SARAH's SHIRTS from EllyAndGrace.com (Affiliate link)
**SAVE 10% off with code LTH10
ellyandgrace.com/LTH
AZURE STANDARD Bulk Organic Foods: (Affiliate link)
www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=...
Our RABBIT COOKBOOK on Amazon:
Kindle Version: amzn.to/2zelDTu
***** Connect with Us! We'd Love to get to know you! *****
WEBSITE: www.LivingTraditionsHomestead.com
FACEBOOK: livingtraditionshomestead
INSTAGRAM: living_traditions
PATREON: / livingtraditionshomestead
Send Mail to:
Living Traditions Homestead
PO Box 323
Ava, MO 65608
***** About Living Traditions Homestead *****
Living Traditions Homestead is all about living a simple and sustainable way of life. We believe the world has gotten too “busy” and that people are missing out on many of the true blessings this world has to offer. We started as a small urban homestead in Gilbert, AZ and after the city grew up around us, decided it was time leave corporate America and take a big leap of faith by moving our family to the Missouri Ozarks.
We put out new videos every week! We hope you will become part of our homestead family by subscribing to our channel and watching as we give up the rat race and live simpler, more fulfilling life in the country.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Instead of sweeping the fabric off, I use a battery operated leaf blower and blow the stuff off. Makes a great Mother’s Day gift, LOL!!
I'm 62 and love my leaf blower!
I use a leaf blower too-easiest clean up ever!
Neighbor chickens got in my flower beds and kicked out a ton of bark mulch. Landscaper used a leaf blower to blow it back in!
Good thinking!
One thing I like to do when laying fabric is always start at one end and layer each row of my fabric the same way as you put each row down... think of it like adding shingles to a roof. always layer each new row over top of the last one. That way if you have to sweep or blow off dirt or debris, you can broom or blow dirt across the rows of fabric in the one direction without running into a row that is layered wrong and wants to blow dirt under that seam.
Also keep prevailing winds in mind. The last layer should be on the same side the majority of winds come from.
@ryam8962
In nursery work. We placed it for water run off. The first piece is at the lowest, so all other pieces are on top for water run off without going under
😊
Thank you Kevin and Sarah for all your years of dedication to the rest of us homesteaders
5 -10 years is not that much, maybe check with 50 year people in your area.
What does that mean?@@cherylanon5791
A big learning for us is that the weed fabric will shrink in the hot sun when first put down. A 40' run will shrink lengthwise at least 6-10 inches. If you staple it immediately, the shrinkage will even pull the staples out. And if you are cutting around boxes, etc. wait for a week or two in the heat and then trim or you'll have a mess. (like we did the first time). So ... cut it a little longer than needed and wait a bit for it to shrink in the heat and it really works wonderfully!
That’s strange, I’ve been using it for years in 100F plus temps and never had that happen.
Love this weed fabric. We have used it for about 4 years now because of one of your videos. Still going strong. Thank you.
Is this the woven polypropylene they show on Grower's Solution site?
@SandraMalone-pq4mn not sure, I got mine off of Amazon
Yes.
I also saw the Dewitt 3000 on the website . Which do you recommend?
LTH is really the one stop shop for homesteading success. Between their tutorials on farming and cooking, real life examples of successes and failures, tips and revelations Kevin and Sarah cover it all. Also, the links they provided to where to find so much stuff and how to get discounts for different things is incredibly useful. Living Traditions Homestead is a blessing to anyone interested in productive living.
Thank you so much.
I got my fabric same year I saw it on your video. I have used it every year. 6 inch anchor pins. We take it (fabric and pins) up after end of garden.
We still rototill prior to laying out fabric, just let ground settle first. Rain helps. Works wonderfully. We just planted over 120 tomatoes and peppers, took about 2 hours. My husband uses a drill auger and I plant plants.
Teamwork. We made holes for plants and 3-4 foot parallel slots for seeds, leave a 4 inch portion also pin center of slots area, so its easier to to take up at the end of season.
Thanks again for suggesting it.
I got my DeWitt woven ground cover at Home Depot. Since I don't have a huge garden I was also able to get a smaller roll than at a lot of places.
Great information. Ive tried the big box store weed fabric in the past and yes it's not the best. The chickens stole the show!!!❤
Right??!!??😂
Because of your generosity in sharing your successes and mistakes. It has saved this little old lady many hours of back breaking weed eating
YES to all of this! We're in the nursery business, and I recommend to anyone who wants to start one, get your woven ground cloth down before you do anything else, and use as wide a roll as you can get.
Have used this weed fabric for the last 3 years. It is a Godsend. It saves so much time and frustration fighting weeds.
So glad I saw this now. I was going to put the fabric down and put wood chips all over it to look good. At the age of 75 I do not need to be working harder but smarter. Great video. Enjoyed it and will return to listen to it again.
BUT....those wood chips will break down, making composted soil, allowing weeds to grow! and then you'll have to work really hard to remove those weeds (their roots will find a way to pierce the weed fabric). Better to just put down 8" of wood chips, add more every year, rake up the undigested chips to reveal composted ones--throw those onto your beds. The light fluffy digested wood chips enrich your garden beds. And new wood chips will take awhile to break down.
I am 76yo and hear you!😀
@@cherylanon5791 8" of wood chips sounds extreme, I use 4-5"
I would lay down spaced pavers on the weedcloth to form paths for walking, plus to help hold it all down. They can easily shifted aside for clean up but will also keep dragging feet from disturbing the cloth undreneath
Good morning, coffee buddies! Hope you are having a lovely day!
Good morning Kevin, Sarah and everyone!🌄😊 Really good video, especially for first time user/buyers. Learned alot of these things the hard way. 😳😵💫😉 One thing I would add is when buying the woven weed fabric/ground cover is to buy the 12' or 15' wide rolls. DO NOT waste your money and time with the narrower rolls of fabric. It takes a lot more time, fabric and staples to cover the ground. 🥰
True! I put down the wider rolls and you are so right, much less work ans Staples for sure!
@@michelemenard8364 😊👍
Thanks for that added tip!
I've been using this since I started watching you and I absolutely agree!
I think it depends on your application, how able bodied you are, and if you have help. Since I was doing all this by myself, I only bought 3ft and 6ft rolls. There's no way I could handle anything wider without help, and at times getting that kind of help darned near impossible.
I saw the "WHITE CHICKEN SUPERVISORY STAFF" making their rounds in the background! Looked like they approved of your set up, because they moved on and no report was made! LOL!😂 God Bless your gardening season!
I have had all the problems you have discussed and am happy you let everyone else know the tips and tricks to weed fabric. Please don't leave plants you have pulled out on the weed fabric either.
I am using it around the outside of my garden and I discovered that if a small dog’s sharp nails can poke holes in the fabric and weeds will grow through those holes.
I enjoy y'all's videos so much .I couldn't help but notice and laugh at the chickens in the background getting in and out of the growing buckets at the back.😂God Bless y'all.❤
Thanks for saying that. I looked and saw them. Lol
I bought some DeWitt woven weave fabric for my small garden after I found you four years ago, it works amazingly well to suppress the weeds. Thank you Kevin and Sara!
I bought my woven weed fabric for the first time this year and I believe it will work great!
Your new garden setup looks fabulous!! I can't wait to see how the summer goes. I'm thinking this is going to work wonderfully, with all the fun of growing your own food with little to no extra time and frustration. AND barefoot friendly! 😊. Very jealous and inspired. ❤
We started using this a few years ago because of y'all!! Everything you are saying is 100% correct. It is excellent and seems to last forever. As I lay it down in the spring I put grass trimmings under it. The seeds that germinate but the weeds won't live because of the lack of sunlight. the grass breaks down over the summer and feeds the soil. Winning!!!!
Great idea!
We followed your example 4 years ago, and will never go back to not using landscape fabric in our garden. It's a game changer!
I'm glad you had this video. I was planning to put ground cover down and then build my raised beds on top of it. When I got done, I was planning to put bark mulch between the rows for walking on. (looking nicer) I hadn't really thought about the fact I would be creating a place for things to grow. So thank you so much for this information. I about made a BIG mistake.
Another great video. Thank you
This weed fabric is great. I watched one of your videos years ago and tried it. I haven't looked back since. Absolute time saver... barely any time spent on weeding. Just around the base of my plants. Definitely worth the money. I still have my original roll... it's been almost 5 years now and still going strong!
I have been using a fabric called Lumite which looks just like yours. I have some pieces that have lasted 30 years. It is incredibly tough. Something I can add to your very good information is my method of holding the sheets down. I use electrical conduit at all of the seems and edges with one concrete block on each end of the pipe. This provides a very broad based anchor. The blocks are a little bit in the way but I don’t mind it. I found that I was missing some of the staples when I lifted the plastic each year and I didn’t want them to puncture my tractor tires.
We've used weed fabric in our garden for years, and we agree that it's a game-changer. This year, we put it in our high-density apple orchard to keep the weeds down around the trees. We are looking forward to not having to weed the orchard!
Enjoyed your video, we did put weed fabric, the good kind, 6 year ago. Put in raise beds, the moles are all over under the fabric. Do you have moles there?
I endorse all these points. Don't underestimate how powerful a root system is. The stem will not penetrate the fabric, but a root will definitely find a way through.
Very helpful . . . but personally discouraging too. I had planned on the final mistake mentioned, i.e., covering the fabric with mulch.
A line from the Jurassic Park movies comes to mind about weeds . . . "Mother Nature Finds a Way."
They seem unstoppable. :(
We use geotextile fabric that is designed for laying down under driveways where the soil is too soft for continued traffic over time. It lets water through while blocking weeds and is tough enough to drive semi trucks, tractors, dump trucks, skidsteers, etc. It will last a lifetime and withstands sunlight as well as sub- soil conditions. It is awesome in the garden and beats the fabric that is sold as weed block. It comes in rolls 15'x300'. We purchase #9 galvanized wire in rolls to make our own staples approximately 10-12 inches long. They will last a lifetime as well. This eliminates 98% of the time spent on pulling weeds. It is worth every penny.
I totally agree. I used geotextile material in construction for many years and now in my garden. You can cut or burn it. It won’t rip. It lets water through and you have fewer seems to overlap.
@charlesblakney2378 I'm glad to know you have experience with this product as well. The most challenging thing about using it (or any weed block material) is when you rotate crops that require different hole centers. Eventually, we will separate and categorize configurations according to hole size and center to center measurements. I often wonder if a person could make a profit by cutting this into say 5' widths and selling it as weed block for gardeners since so many seem to think if it isn't sold as such, it won't work. We use both a butane torch and an electric knife to cut/seal the edges. The electric heat knife works best for clean, accurate cuts. We use one of our small solar generators that is easy to carry for powering it. The torch is more convenient, but the knife is best.
I used weed fabric last year and it was a game changer!
Great tips Kevin and Sarah! We have used the wide woven fabric for years now. What a game changer! So much work on the farm with spring calfing, who whats to weed. I took note about cleaning off any soil spills. We are in our 70s. Woven fabric has made gardening a whole lot easier! Really helpful information. Happy March!
Thank you. I do use the DeWitt ground cover. Before I purchased my first roll I contacted the company to see if the fabric would stop nut sedge grass and their comment was that nothing stops nutsedge. This grass will grow through the fabric. I have also had issues with fire ants eating through the fabric if there is a big ant hill under the fabric. It is a big time and money investment but I continue to use the fabric because every thing that I can do to help reduce weeds saves me time. I learn a lot from you two and even through this fabric is not perfect it is MUCH better than weeding, weeding, weeding.
Yes we have issues with ants and voles chewing through the fabric too
exactly, that nutsedge, and many other narrow-leaved weeds (broam grasses) will grow right thru even that DeWitt fabric. Maybe if you put down 3 layers of it, might work. Darn expensive. Better to dig out the "nut" in spring and burn it (don't throw in compost or trash).
Confirming my decision to put cardboard underneath. I doubt it’ll stop ants but I definitely don’t want grass coming through.
I started using the woven weed fabric after seeing your 1st year of success with it and I am still using it. It is definitely a game changer!
Your 100% right about everything y'all said about the weed fabric. I love it! Now, if if I have a hole that doesn't have a plant in it, or pull one out, and don't plant in it, it Will grow a weed. Also, If you don't weed eat around the edge or border of your garden, and weeds grow there, the wind will blow those seeds and get into those holes. I had a mess with that, when my weed eater went out. Other than that, I've have no weeds, but I do need a shop broom to sweep dirt off. Now, I've not had any weeds grow from the dirt getting on there, but it looks nicer, for sure.
Yes, Thank you! You are a big help when you warn us of the pitfalls. Btw. You both look radiant today. ❤
We have used this recommended ground cover and LOVE it! We purchased from Grower's Solution. Awesome --- I know, I know, I'm preaching to the choir. LOL
Kevin and Sarah, we’re using the same weed fabric you use and we’ve found the same issues. We love using this stuff. We’re just starting to accumulate the raised garden beds. We have found one more issue with the weed fabric. We don’t live on flat land and didn’t have a tiller or plow for our tractor. Just a very small walk behind tiller. We didn’t know to get the dirt extremely flat under the weed fabric so we walk along and there are hills and dips. We don’t walk well ourselves and this really hurts us. We’re taking out our trellises and ground cover this spring to try and till and rake our garden as flat as we can and re-lay the fabric out.
God bless you both for your desire to create success for everyone!😊❤️🇨🇦🇺🇲
We love this weed fabric. It cuts down on the amount of labor so much.
Yep another great video and I hope those chickens aren't putting tiny little holes in your weed fabric😮
Last year was our first time using this ground cover and we absolutely love it! I will say I totally forgot about burning the sheets apart in the beginning. We had to go back and singe the first few pieces we cut.
I agree wholeheartedly about not putting the fabric down on freshly tilled soil…worked so hard putting it down and the next day had to do it all over again.
We have some that is 5-6 years old. Ordered it from Growers Solutions and it was an investment. But well worth it! We love it. In East Texas we do need longer staples. And the torch is a must.
what torch do you use?
@@kimwiscaver8686 something my husband picked up at Lowes. Handheld. General purpose.
@@LazyKFarmstead thanks!
Yes❣️ Spending 90% of my time weeding takes the magic away from the garden. We purchased good quality weed fabric for this yrs garden. I am very much looking forward to a yr with less weeding and more devotion to the bounty that God gifts my family and neighbors. Thank you for posting this video. I am going to save it for referencing later this yr and in the next few yrs😉
Peace and Love Neighbors 💖
Thanks so much for discussing the use of landscape fabric. I am ripping up my raised garden beds to lay down fabric.
Couple years ago my neighbor had horses and gave me few Skip loader buckets of horse manure. Yes I put on my garden and have been fighting grass since. I did not let manure dry out to kill seeds.
So digging up beds, level ground, install fabric and lay raised beds back down. Have to start over.
Hi Kevin and Sarah you have a nice homestead good job with the animals 🐖
All true, been there too! Of course, most of this info I’ve gotten from y’all in various videos! 😊 Mine only mistake and I wasn’t surprised, was where I used up some clothe weed fabric we had. Not only did it let weeds and grass thru, it just came apart in bits and chunks! 🤦🏼♀️ I was picking up bits of black clothe all around the garden and yard! It’s been covered now and will remain so 😊
I started using this weed fabric last year and OMG what a difference. I will forever use this. Thank you - I started using it because you all suggested it. I agree Missouri weeds are no joke
I see you are at 805k subs, well done you 2 😊👍🇦🇺🇺🇸
Voice of experience, absoultly right on all aspects of this video
This episode is the most enthusiastic & energetic of your videos that I’ve had the pleasure of viewing. “Keep on Keeping on!” Tim in northern TN
Thank you for all of the great info and tips! Really appreciate you sharing this with us! Blessings on your day Kiddos!🌻🐛Carolyn in Ohio 🌿
Use to work in a garden center you definitely need to keep up on sweeping that stuff, weeds will root in such little stuff.
Love the weed fabric from Growers Solution, and I agree about the mistakes. I have made most of them in my garden, but I can't imagine going back to gardening without weed fabric.
Your chickens wanted to be in the video how cute.
Great video! I've been using fabric for about 6 years or so, have bought it in 3' 6' and 12' widths. When you plant, sweep or blow any excess dirt off the fabric because weeds will start in that leftover dirt. Weeds will also grow up through holes made by your staples. I use a combination of staples and bricks to hold the fabric down. When buying fabric, order it from a source that specializes in growing supplies, they will have several grades of fabric, so buy the best you can afford. I run a roller over the garden patch after tilling and before putting my fabric down. You can buy a staple tool that allows you to put your staples into the ground without bending over.
Hi Kevin and Sarah. I've already got my fabric down. The very next day, 2 rows were blown almost all the way out. Had to redo them and add the push pin thingys,lol. Also well placed rocks, you know we got them everywhere here in southern missouri,lol, worked good. Anyways, thanks for the tips. I seen your video last spring about it and I did use a torch to cut the rows. Love the channel and the videos guys. Keep up the awesome work, and I for one will definitely keep watching. P.S. My wife Judy and I are the ones who bought in LongLane,MO. Planning on coming to Marshfield soon. Maybe we'll get lucky and meet ya.
Thank you so much for all the tips on using this fabric. I haven't purchased any as yet but have been considering it and this has been so helpful. I always enjoy your videos and all the good information you provide!
I started watching your channel in 2020 and was able to invest in this kind of woven weed fabric in 2021. I tell everyone that it changed my life! I know a few of friends that have bought it too.
I learn something from the two of you with every video. I discovered you a few years go while researching quail!
I literally just bought weed barrier today, and pepples to go on top for our walkway. Glad I saw this before I put it down! Now to figure out what to do with all this gravel!!
So far I have made the same mistakes on a much smaller scale. In fact, I decided to tear out all that I put down and just pull weeds. Looks like I may give that fabric another chance to prove itself. Thanx for the great info.
Good tips. Bought this weed guard last year on your recommendation and so far I am very pleased with it! Love your channel.
Weeds grow even through the holes made when you put your staples in place. I totally agree about using a torch to burn the fabric.
The stuff at Walmart has its uses for the small garden. Yes you have to replace it every year but it's been a godsend for my tiny garden. It's allowed me to still garden with age creaping up on me. I'd love to be able to afford the good stuff but i can't and the big box store kind works for me .
Loved seeing your assistant gardeners patrolling the weed fabric. It looked as if they were inspecting your work. 😁
Weed fabric is a nightmare on heavy clay soils. The mud from watering comes through and you cant sweep it off. Where weeds are really bad, its been actually a nice thing to have grass paths and just mow or weedwhack between raised beds. The grass soaks up the moisture and prevents mud. The beds on that fabric will outlive the fabric, so its something to think about when the fabric has lived its life. The beds themselves are not particularly weedy and I like the grass paths. Nice to walk on and looks nice too.
I love the woven ground cover. I used it last year for the first time in my tomato and pepper plants and it saved me so much time since I wasn't having to pull weeds in between the plants. I just need to be more diligent in keeping the soil off of the fabric to help keep weeds from sprouting on top of it.
I thank ya for the info! The chickens are still loving your round planters 😂, they are stinkers!
Thank you for this video. This will be the first year for us using weed fabric. I'm hoping it will be a success.
I am happy you made a refresher video on this. I used it very successfully in Indiana, and now that we’ve moved to Arkansas, I need to buy some more. We made a lot of those mistakes too, but it was still totally worth it!! I had the idea to make smaller pieces with the holes laid out for specific crops. Then the pieces can be rearranged to rotate the crops. We burnt some holes the first year we wished we had never made. It was frustrating. Plan carefully, check twice, burn once 😅
Thanks for sharing with us Kevin and Sarah, glad things are going well around there. Really enjoyed the video and thorough explanation of using a GOOD WEED FABRIC PROPERLY. You both did a great job. Thanks again. Fred.
I bought some of the pro weed fabric last spring, and where I had it down worked amazingly, this year I intend to also put it between the beds. This weed fabric combined with the drip watering system is a game changer in the garden :)
Amazing video! I had actually just purchased some woven weed barrier to use this season. This is perfect timing for this video so I didn't mess too much up! 😁
Would love to see a video of laying the covers and how you garden on top of it ❤
I shared on FB. Love how thorough you are. Very helpful how-to videos. Thank you.
Thank you Kevin and Sarah. Very good. God Bless you all in Love. Maranatha ! ( shared to f/b )
I have purchased the woven weed fabric, but to my dismay Bermuda Grass grows though it! I have stapled it down, secured edges, still that darn grass gets through! Still fighting it! but the weed fabric does slow the grass down some, but it doesn't stop it. Bermuda Grass is a nightmare.
We have used weed fabric for 4 years now. Love it! Has cut down weeding by 98%. We use eight inch metal clips to hold every three feet.
I haven't even seen 8 in clips. Where do you get them from?
@ladybugsarah6671 We buy them locally for from Amish for $8.00 per 100 of them.
I LOVE this woven weed fabric! I first began using it a few years ago after I saw one of your videos and it has Changed my (gardening) life. Anytime I'm talking gardening with someone I tell them about it too.
Thank you very helpful information so glad we bought the good quality fabric after your recommendation in previous video. You’ve been a big help in many ways.
AWSOME 🎉🙏🏿💯🙏🏿🎉🙏🏿💯🙏🏿🎉💯 TEACHINGS .😮I USE DEWIT 5 MILL ... FABRIC IN MY BEDS ....5×50 FEET LONG..😮NOW I ALSO PLACE A ADDITIONAL 2...FEET ..WIDE... PICE .. AROUND.THE..😮PEREMITER SO WHEN YOU HARVEST 😮YOU HAVE SOMTHING TO REST ON😮 GOOD LUCK 🙏🏿
Just got my new weed fabric. It will be my first time using it this year. Im excited for this growing season. Thank you for your videos.
Love using good weed fabric because of your channel! Seeing the chickens all around made my heart happy 😊❤
Love your channel. First time I heard of woven ground cover was from one of your videos a few seasons ago. I tried it and it’s still working well. Thanks for all of your advice and suggestions. Also, I really like the new raised bed garden area. May God Bless both of you and your family.
Absolutely perfect advice. We too, learned the hard way and will never go back!
You are both a blessing to homesteaders everywhere. Thank you.
Such a great explanation! I had the Dewitt that had the fabric on the back...such a horrid thing! Thanks, you two! 💜🌱
Great timing! Putting our Dewitt weed fabric in today. Thanks!
Thanks for the fabric recommendation. BTW, I love the pretty chooks in the background. 😍
I picked up some weed fabric probably 40 years ago and it's still doing its job. I did make the mistake of putting pulled weeds on it to dry out...only I left them there, they turned into soil and it was the perfect environment for more weeds to grow and puncture through. It was expensive at the time, but the labor it's saved me has been immeasurable.
Wow 40 yrs. Do you remember what brand it was?
I don't. I remember going in the office of our local farm and garden store and the lady went through a catalog and did a special order. @@ladybugsarah6671
I am starting a new garden this year and have followed your advice from past years. We even added a layer of cardboard underneath the fabric to increase the barrier. I hope that this is a good growing year for everyone. Thanks for your videos. I’m looking forward to your posts on cheese making cheddar and cream cheese etc. Bless you both!
Sarah, my coffee order arrived today and it is a BIG HIT with us ! I will be ordering from them again. Thanks again for recommending them ! Hugs to you both
Excellent video with great tips. But I prefer 9" plastic landscaping nails. Be careful dealing with rusty nail. Loved this video. Thanks for sharing.
I use the fabric because all the other methods just seemed to fuel the weeds and make them grow faster.
Thank you for these very useful tips! You folks undoubtedly one of the best channels out there!!!
Wow, thanks!