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Weed Beaters

Seen a collection of "weed beater" plants in a catalogue - Saponaria ocymoides (Soapwort/ Tumbling Ted), Sedum acre (Stonecrop), Campanula - and was wondering:

1. Do they really help to reduce weeds in the garden?

2. Can plants that grow from bulbs still grow through them?

3.  Will they cause just as much of a probably around shrubs as weeds?

4. Are they good for wildlife?

The area around my phoeny's, rose bush and apple tree,  and where my buddleias are going to go, is getting really overgrown with weeds and these sound like a tempting option to cover the ground with low growing cover, colour and stop the weeds from taking over.  Seriously, they have the lawn what more do they want! lol

  • Hi KaiTai

    My answers to your questions are:-

    1.No plants really keep weeds under contol,the plants listed cover the ground so some weeds may have to struggle.

    2.Yes,bulbs can still grow through.

    3.The plants listed should not be a problem.

    4.Think they are ok for wildlife. (Perhaps someone else can comment?)

    Weeding is still really the only way to get rid of weeds.I use a spray weedkiller to spot treat certain weeds and areas.I know a lot of peolple don't like to use weedkillers but I only use in very small amounts when hand weeding may not be an option.

    Rachel

    ps I actually LOVE weeding and find it very theraputic!!

    It's not always easy to hug a hedgehog.

    But that doesn't mean you shouldn't.

  • I've been working that much that I don't have much time for weeding at the moment, will get a bit done today hopefully inbetween everything else that needs to get done.  Maybe it would help if the weeds weren't so obvious lol  The ground is pretty bare and it is just looking weedy at the moment rather than the nice border I planned!

  • Hi Kat

    I think they just work like ground cover to choke normal weeds.

    I think your peonies, bulbs, rose bushes and trees will be fine. Your peony might have been mislabelled when you received it as phoeny isn't the correct spelling.

    Best wishes Chris

    Click Here to see my photos

  • Woodpecker said:

    Hi Kat

    I think they just work like ground cover to choke normal weeds.

    I think your peonies, bulbs, rose bushes and trees will be fine. Your peony might have been mislabelled when you received it as phoeny isn't the correct spelling.

    lol that will be my bad spelling oops!