Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi everyone I have a rather large plot lucky me and this winter I was thinking of covering it with lino instead of weed surpressent as in previous years it moves because of gale force winds and I can't get weed surpressent in large enough squares to cover it all in big easy sections I know lino will smother the ground but it kills the weeds do you think this is a good idea?confused: Any surgestions greatfully received.

Sounds like a good idea to me. It would certainly smother the weeds and stop them getting any light. My only concerns would be, I have no idea what lino is made from and it might release unwanted chemicals into the soil and in the freezing winter weather I imagine it would get very brittle and easily damaged.

No doubt someone will read your post and be better able to advise. There's nearly always someone out there with the info. we need.

__________________
It is the doom of man, that they forget.

If its "real" lino, then I'd say no cos of the chemicals in it, but if you're thinking of vynal (I'm sure i've not spelt that right) then that should be fine, just that lino as it was used to have load of chemicals in it

yer vynal I have 2 short pieces on my alloment and they seem to do the business but thanx for your input I need someone to soundoff 2 as originially there where 3 muskaters on our plot now there is only me 1 drop out because hubbie fell ill and 1 moved away who said 3 women can't get on!

It's vinyl. It's helpful to spell it right if you want to google it!
Which is completely synthetic, being made of petroleum. Full of chemicals.

On the other hand, lino (Linoleum) is completely natural. It was invented in the late 1800s and is derived from linseed oil (hence its name) which is extracted from flax seeds and then dried out and ground into a fine powder, called 'linoleum cement'. This is then mixed with fine plant material, such as ground cork, wood flour and pine resins and then combined with a jute fibre backing.

I don't know if you are killing existing weeds? If so, anything thick like carpet will do the trick, old fence panels are good too. You can't leave them for 6 months though, or the weeds will grow thru and into it, and it'll be a b*gger to lift off again. turn it every month or so.

If you have already cleared the ground and want to prevent weeds taking hold again, then use a green manure as ground cover. Limnanthes (poached egg) is cheap, pretty, attracts bees, and is easy to dig up and compost when you want to plant crops.

__________________
~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

I've read that you shouldn't use old carpet coz of chemicals etc, so why not do what I did? put down a layer of newspaper and then cardboard (any local supermarket will be willing to let you have some) and then put that on top. Leave it for however long - it certainly killed the weeds on my lottie - and without the chemicals! Good luck. Looking forward to hearing how you get on - with photos if poss! Bernie aka DDL

__________________
Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things