Holes
Now that your geotextile fabric has been laid out and secured, it’s time to poke some holes!
Geotextiles are popular for use as weed suppression in greenhouses and nurseries, but many of those folks don’t need to worry about this section. Plants grown in containers can happily sit on top of the fabric and be shifted as necessary. Flower and vegetable growers and nurserymen, however, need to make holes.
There are different schools of thought in the hole-making debate. We’ll cover both options, though it’s important that you follow the recommendation of your supplier, since they presumably know more about the specific properties of your chosen geotextile.
Burning
Since woven geotextile can be subject to unraveling, many users prefer to burn, or melt holes in the fabric to avoid the issue. One major advantage to this is that your planting holes can be set before the fabric is even placed over the beds, making installation and planting a relative breeze. Burning is a perfect technique to use with templates, ensuring very precise spacing between plants - just put one plant in each hole, and they’ll all be just where they need to be.
Keep in mind that with pre-burnt holes, your beds need to be carefully prepared so that everything can align properly. On the other hand, this setup makes adding drip irrigation a simple process, since you know the precise spacing and can prepare sections in advance.
If you choose to burn your groundcover, consider using a weed torch or similar handheld device for quick work. Prepare a template ahead of time to keep the spacing precise and move work along quickly. Some users choose plywood or even cardboard as a template material, but sheet metal is both lightweight and the longest-lasting option.
Cutting
You can cut holes in advance using a template as well, but this method is probably more suited to a quick one-and-done combination of cutting and planting. It’s a simple process - use a box cutter or razor knife to cut an X where each plant will be placed. The intersecting cuts will allow you to dig into the soil beneath and place your transplant with ease. Keep in mind that you don’t want to make your cuts too large, since unnecessary open space around a plant is a clear invitation to invading weeds. Plan on making your cuts just large enough for the root ball to pass through, or slightly larger than the expected size of your crop’s stem at maturity. If needed, you can always enlarge the holes later.
Once you’ve planted your seedling, fold the triangular flaps back around the base of the plant, leaving no room for weeds to break through.
Irrigation
Once your transplants are in place, this is the time to place your drip irrigation system. If necessary, you can easily enlarge the holes with a box cutter to ensure the water drops get to the right place with no waste.
Planting (And Mulching?)
Once you’ve planted your crop and set out the irrigation system, it’s time to consider adding mulch to finish things off. Wait! What was the point of using landscape fabric only to have to add mulch on top of it, you say? Well, we talked about a lot of good reasons to do so in an earlier article in this series, but we’ll review them now.
- Geotextile ground fabrics are longer lasting and more dependable than loose organic mulches that can shift, wash away, or decay into - well, soil that weeds love.
- Geotextiles provide more effective soil reinforcement and erosion protection than other mulch options.
- Geotextiles, unlike organic mulches, don’t bring weed seeds along with them. They don’t bring in pests, fungus or plant diseases, and they don’t present a fire risk, even when they’re dry.
It’s not required that you add mulch to your geotextile covering. In fact, some heavy-duty agricultural geotextiles are produced with excellent UV resistance for fully exposed applications. But an added layer of protection is exactly that - added protection. Particularly if you’re planting perennials, woody shrubs, or even hosting a tree nursery, the investment you’re making in a geotextile product should stand the test of time, and protection is the best way to ensure that.
Virtually any type of mulching material can be used to cover your geotextile weed barrier, whether it’s compost, gravel, or rubber mulch. Regardless of the material or combination thereof, the final layer should be 2-3 inches thick. This added layer will not only help anchor the fabric and prevent it from shifting, but it will protect it from harmful UV rays and can help further insulate the soil from temperature extremes.
Keep in mind that any organic based mulch will break down over time, gradually creating its own layer of topsoil and encouraging weed growth. Unless you’re aiming for a particular look, consider inorganic options like pea gravel or river rock, or even slow-to-decompose options like pine needles.
Keeping a Tight Ship
The chores associated with maintaining a geotextile weed control system are a breeze compared to endless backbreaking hours with a hoe and even balanced against the cost and risk of damage to valuable crops from cultivators and mechanical weeders. Here are some points to remember:
- Even a shallow layer of decomposed organic mulch and blown-in dirt becomes soil perfect for germinating to the average weed seed. Plan on removing and replacing organic mulches every couple of years, at minimum.
- If a lot of blown-in dirt and debris begins to accumulate in your inorganic mulch (gravel or rubber), it can be removed and cleaned with a good spray of water.
- If your area is subject to high winds or periodic storms with strong gusts, consider placing bricks or even cinder blocks along the rows and pathways of your newly laid ground cover to help keep it in place. Once the weather has passed, remove them.
- Once annual crops have been harvested, simply mow down the remaining foliage with a weed whacker or bush hog, pull the ground cover up (use a tractor if your panels are large), shake off any excess dirt and debris, fold it and store it away for the next season. As long as the fabric is intact, it can be used over and over. Some growers have reported using the same woven geotextiles for 10 years or more.
