Help - Weed membrane or not under turf?

[mickllf]

Hi, I've got very little gardening experience so thought I'd reach out here for some advice.

To give my issue a bit of background.

I have a lawn area of approx 5.4m x 11m so 60m2. This had been neglected for some time and had several varieties weeds growing including horsetail, nettles, thistles etc. Last year I tried to kill off all the weeds using glyphosate but they kept coming back. In September I made the decision to completely cover the lawn area to starve it of light and I've now reached the stage where I would like to buy some turf and try to lay a new lawn.

My plan was to buy some plantex weed control fabric and put that down, then use about 8 tonnes of topsoil to raise the height of the lawn by 3-4 inches before laying some turf.

I've read various people say that using the fabric isn't necessary and may hinder the lawn knitting together/growing at all. I just want to do all I can to prevent the weeds (especially the horsetail) from coming back.

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[Logan]

Hello and welcome to GF
Never use a membrane under turf, people just don't do it. It's meant to put under a gravel path or driveway. It won't be good for the turf at all.

 

[Tetters]

I agree with @Logan - don`t put this under your lawn. The one thing you MUST put first at this stage is dealing with the perennial weeds - especially the horsetail, which is notoriously difficult to control and will probably need constant applications of glyphosate over the course of a year or more before you get rid of it completely.
I believe it`s best to let it grow if the rhizomes are still there and active and crush the leaves - trample on it and then apply the glyphosate. Repeat until you are successful - a long slog, but worth it.

Buying all that top soil and turf will be a complete waste of money if you don`t sort out the foundations first- there is no quick fix.

 

[mickllf]

Hi all, thanks for the replies so far. Looks like the membrane is a no go then. As for the weeds, would the ground being covered with tarpaulin/plastic for the last 6 months have helped clear the area of these? This should have blocked 99% of light to the soil. Prior to that I had tried the trample and glyphosate route for the previous 4-6 months but the weeds kept coming back.

 

[Logan]

It's best to do what @Tetters advised.

 

[Tetters]

The big problem you have is the rhizomes on this particular weed. They go down very deep and spread like stink. They are probably in all the neighbours gardens as well.
The only other suggestion I have is to put your lawn down - either turf, or seed (which might work out cheaper and will grow well as soon as the weather warms up) and just keep mowing. Any weed including the horsetail is green, and will be a part of the lawn - mowing regularly might just weaken the horsetail sufficiently well for it to look acceptable.
That is what I have done here to combat the weeds. There`s 4 acres worth of grass here, so no time to mess about. Every year or so I take the trowel out and remove as many of the lethal thistles that grow through and kill your toes when you walk on them - and any ragwort which goes on the bonfire.
I never think of my grass as lawn - I just call it grass.
By the way, I forgot to say welcome to the forum ---- so Welcome

Please let us know what you decide, and how it goes. Good luck..... oh yes, and we like pictures!