What is the anti-weed mesh?

Wild herbs are rarely very welcome in a garden or vegetable garden. They grow at such a high rate that they only need a few weeks to cover the plantsincluding the highest. Although most are not parasitic, all of them have a behavior that we could qualify as invasive, since they prevent the rest of the species from continuing to grow normally.

Fortunately, today we have one thing that will be very useful to prevent herbs from appearing in areas where we do not want them to grow, and that is none other than anti-weed mesh.

What is the anti-weed mesh?

The anti-weed mesh is a mesh that, placed on the ground, prevents herbs from growing as sunlight cannot reach their seeds due to the color of the mesh and how dense it is.

There are two types on the market:

Woven anti-grass mesh

It is a very dense and resistant woven raffia polypropylene mesh that allows the passage of water and air, but blocks the passage of sunlight. In addition, before it is sold it is often UV treated to resist the action of ultraviolet rays.

It comes in various colors: black, dark green, brown, and white. And for its weight (105 gr / m2 or 130 gr / m2), it is highly recommended to place in the gardenespecially if it is dry, or in the greenhouse.

Anti-grass geotextile mesh

It is a very durable and resistant non-woven polypropylene mesh because it is also usually UV treated to resist ultraviolet rays. It allows the passage of water and air, and allows the soil and the roots of the plants to breathe while preventing the seeds of the herbs from germinating.

It comes in various colors: white, black, brown. Due to its weight (125 gr / m2) and its characteristics, It is the most suitable for use in ponds and in those areas where there will be plants that need a lot of wateras in the orchard.

Both types of mesh are sold in rolls with a width of 1, 1,5 or 2 meters.

How is it placed?

If you need to place an anti-weed mesh, follow our advice to prevent herbs from growing where they shouldn’t:

Prepare the ground

The ground has to be as level as possible, so that before putting the mesh you have to do the following:

1. Pass the tiller -if it is a small area- or the tiller -if it is large- to break up the most superficial layer of the soil.
2. Remove any stones that may have been exposed.
3. Rake the ground leaving it level.
4. Install the drip irrigation system you need in case you don’t have it.
5. Re-rake if necessary.

Mesh placement

Once the land is ready, it is time to put the anti-weed mesh. For it, do the following:

• Remove about 2-3cm of layer of soil from the area where you want to put the mesh.
• Rake to level the area.
• Place the anti-weed mesh so that it is well stretched.
• Secure the edges by adding a little dirt, and driving some fastening staples in different places so that it is well fixed.

Maintenance

The weed mesh is actually very strong and durable, but as the days go by it may not look very pretty . The wind can drag dirt, leaving it on its surface, and leave some seeds with it. that, as soon as they get a little water, they will germinate.

To do? As a routine, I recommend that you pass the broom or, if you prefer, clean it with the hose At least once a week.

Advantages and disadvantages of anti-weed mesh

As we have seen, the anti-weed mesh is almost, almost perfect. It has more advantages than disadvantages, but it is also important that we talk about the latter. Let’s know what the qualities of this mesh are, and its drawbacks:

Advantages

• Inhibits the growth of most wild herbs.
• The plants will be able to grow without problems.
• The proliferation of pests and diseases is avoided.
• It allows to extend the growing season, since the dark color absorbs sunlight and that causes the temperature to rise.
• It is easy to install and maintain.

Drawbacks

• Depending on the type of mesh it is, it can hinder the natural aeration of the soil.
• There may be grasses that grow more aggressively, breaking the mesh.

What is the price?

The truth is that It depends a lot on the brand and the meters have each roll. For example, a roll of 1,5 × 10 meters of geotextile mesh can cost you around 12 euros, while a roll of woven mesh of 1m x 50 meters can cost you around 30 euros.

We hope we have resolved your doubts about this mesh, although if you have some left in the pipeline, do not hesitate to leave them in the Comments .