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Synthetic Weed Barrier May Need Some Follow Up

By Terry M. Conway, Resource Conservationist
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Salina, Kansas

The use of weed barrier has become a fairly common practice in the Great Plains in the establishment of woody seedlings for windbreak and shelter belt plantings. The synthetic mulches have several positive advantages for improving tree seedling growth. They increase soil temperatures in the spring, reduce evaporative soil moisture loss during dry periods, and control herbaceous competition, often for an extended period of time.

It is the durability of the synthetic mulches that may cause problems later in tree plantings. It was initially assumed that direct sun and weathering processes would cause the mulches to breakdown in 5 to 7 years. However, with current experience and studies it has become apparent that many of the mulches are far exceeding life expectancy due to the shading of the material and covering by tree leaf litter and grassy vegetation.

The higher priced UV-resistant woven fabrics can be more expensive initially and may present problems later. The problem of girdling can occur if the woven fabric will not expand easily as the tree grows and can eventually cause the tree to die. If trees are dying in a shelter belt situation for no apparent reason it might be a good idea to check the base of the tree and see if girdling is occurring. If girdling is observed the material at the base of the tree must be cut to prevent further injury or eventual death of the trees will result.

For more information about using weed barriers for windbreak and shelter belt plantings, please contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service office or conservation district office located at your local county USDA Service Center.

For more information about NRCS programs, visit the Kansas NRCS Web site at www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov.

This article is also available in Microsoft Word format.

Synthetic Weed Barrier May Need Some Follow Up (DOC; 32 KB)

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Last Modified: 09/04/2008