Keeping newly cleared area free of weeds?

Ludo

At the back of our garden there is a very steep slope (about 15 metres by ten metres...easterly facing) going from the lawn up a hill to the end of our property. This area has been completely overgrown with nettles and briars and all kinds of stuff since we moved in a few years ago.

I have completely cleared it last weekend so now it is just plain earth. I would like to finish it properly next weekend with some nice shrubs to keep it neat and tidy. But after only a few days, I can see the weeds beginning to make a come back already.

Any suggestions on how to keep this area free of weeds while getting newly planted stuff a chance to settle in? The hill seems too steep to cover in bark or stones as they would all probably slide down it in wind and rain and end up on the lawn (especially if I put membrane under them I imagine).

Should I simply cover the whole hill in membrane and peg it down to keep it in place and plant it out? I'm not sure how this will look though being able to see a big expanse of black sheeting for a year or two until the plants cover it up.

Is there anything I can spray the ground with that will prevent weeds from growing now but allow newly planted shrubs to grow (long shot I guess)?

Any suggestions appreciated.

Skrynesaver

Hi Ludo,

You could try putting a mulch like mushroom compost on landscape fabric rather than Mypex. You will get seeds germinating in it, but they're easy to pull from the mulch and in the long term it will improve the soil. Otherwise if it's a large area, I'd suggest grass seed to fill in the empty spacesand a hover mower.

Simazine used to be the prefered weedkiller to prevent germination of weeds, however the EU banned it .

fodda

Your soil is full of seeds from the weeds you cleared and through clearing the weeds you have given any new seedlings the chance to rocket up especially if you had a little rain.

Use builders plastic weigh it down with blocks and make holes in it to put your new plants in. Then after about 12 months those seeds in the soil will have all been eaten by stuff in the soil or rotted away and your new plants will be established and the plastic you can remove it by cutting it up.

Ludo

Thanks for the ideas so far. Not sure about the grass idea though as I don't want to have to mow it...too steep.
Ideally I guess what I would want to do it plant the hill with some ground cover and then just ignore it.

Came across these suggestions via google for plants:
Juniperus horizontalis
Cotoneaster dammeri
Vinca major
Lonicera pileata

Would I also need to cover the ground to prevent the weeds coming back while planting these or would plastic (or membrane) prevent these ground covering plants from taking hold properly?

Skrynesaver

Definitely use a membrane if you are using something like Cotoneaster Dammeri, I have extremely unfond memories of trying to weed through it.

Sonnenblumen

Spray area with Roundup, this will kill all exisiting weed+root, then if you prefer line area with hoticultural liner and secure in position with the nylon pegs which are available for this. Do not use builders plastic, apart from being unsightly, simply putting a few holes here and there is not a satisfactory means of allowing the water to percolate through to plant roots. Horticultural liner eg Mypex is ideal as it allows water and oxygen through to the roots. And unlight PVC is will not go brittle or disintegrate when exposed to sun after a few years. It is usually black which helps disguise it unlike the neon blue builders PVC (although blacks are also available).

Other ground cover shrubs you might consider includes the low growing excellent and hardy Prunus laur Zabeliana. A very good compact and evergreen Cotoneaster is of course Cotoneaster Coral Beauty.