ASK DIARMUID

QI have a sloping bank that is very tiring to weed. I’m thinking of using weed membrane to cut down on this job. What do you think?

David

AI sympathise with you and your back trying to weed a slope – it’s hard work. But I’m not a big fan of weed membrane for a variety of reasons. Even if you cover it with a good layer of mulch, eventually the membrane is exposed and it looks pretty terrible. Once down, it traps the air and moisture in so the soil becomes stale.

My preference would be to plant heavily with groundcover so weeds don’t have much room to grow. Ceanothus repens, which is a creeping evergreen shrub, will be excellent and is covered in blue blossom at this time of year.