Landscape fabric? mulch? over already existing plants?

Question

i have large flower beds that i am in the process of planting but i am short on money and it is taking a while and i am finding that i am spending most of my time keeping them weeded but i already have some plants in them such and a section of them is done in lilies and i have a few small bushes i was interested in landscaping fabric and mulch but will my lilies be able to grow through it in the spring? ive used newspaper layers successfully in other parts of my yard under the mulch instead of the fabric but their was nothing planted in those areas yet, would they grow through the newspaper? also the lilies when if ever could i cut back the foliage to those lilies after they have bloomed?

Answer 1

i don't know about the rest of that stuff. but DON'T get the anti-weed fabric. i don't know why so many people use it, but i doesn't do anything. the weeds can grow there way thru that fabric just as easy as it can without it. if you're low on money, or even if you're not. don't waste your money on that. i've tried it and i regret it.

hope that helps.

peace.

Answer 2

If you use the weed fabric and want to have plants here and there, you must accomodate your plants with a "breathing hole"  make a X cut in the cloth to let your planst come up and grow.  The rest of the area that you want no growth cover with mulch or what ever.  you have to use the mulch or a cover of some sort (I have used broken tiles in Florida) or the weeds cane come up though the cracks where the sections meet.  Weeds or grass can eventully take root on this mulch over a course of time simply because it is natures way for them to take hold of any soil that they can find and grow there...but it is much easier to control these weeds as they try to take root.  I have never tried the newspaper but it can see where it work, I have heard of others using it and they were quite pleased with it and it would be cheaper.

As for the lillies, I always let my lillies grow till fall...that way they can multiply naturally and next spring I can trasplant the new little plants coming up.

Answer 3

i would not use fabric it does not work. i would use mulch or pine straw and use a pre-emergent herbicide.  there is great product called HY-YIELD weed and grass stoper.  use it every three to four months and you should very if any weeds in your beds. it is also safe on lawns any time of year.

Answer 4

Newspaper is awesome to use for this. (And the ink puts some nitrogen back into the soil)  Eventually the newspaper will break down and need to be replaced.  You can use a herbicide such as Preen to help with the weed control.  This stuff works great!