In our small back garden we have a little (12ft 7ft) veg plot which we
top up by dumping our home-produced compost on every winter.

To the rear of the veg plot are some lopped 8ft tall conifers (5-10"
trunks). Although the veg plot is raised 6", by the end of October it
contains a lot of conifer roots.

Moving the veg plot/conifers is not an option. Would digging down 18"
and laying some of that weed suppressing black material stop the roots?
Would they still take a lot of moisture from the soil?

Any ideas greatly received?

Thanks.

"Orson Kart" wrote in message
...
: In our small back garden we have a little (12ft 7ft) veg plot which we
: top up by dumping our home-produced compost on every winter.
:
: To the rear of the veg plot are some lopped 8ft tall conifers (5-10"
: trunks). Although the veg plot is raised 6", by the end of October it
: contains a lot of conifer roots.
:
: Moving the veg plot/conifers is not an option. Would digging down 18"
: and laying some of that weed suppressing black material stop the roots?
: Would they still take a lot of moisture from the soil?
:
: Any ideas greatly received?
:
: Thanks.

I have dug down about that or maybe 2 feet or more in places and left a
trench but I don't see why you can't put something solid down like
corrugated or similar, if you haven't a lot of space. I think they would go
straight through the weed fabric

I would have thought that you'd be better off with something stronger - more
like digging down the back of the plot, cutting through all the existing
roots and putting something like a sheet of corrugated iron in to keep them
from returning.

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)

On 3/3/06 12:42, in article , "Orson
Kart" wrote:

In our small back garden we have a little (12ft 7ft) veg plot which we
top up by dumping our home-produced compost on every winter.

To the rear of the veg plot are some lopped 8ft tall conifers (5-10"
trunks). Although the veg plot is raised 6", by the end of October it
contains a lot of conifer roots.

Moving the veg plot/conifers is not an option. Would digging down 18"
and laying some of that weed suppressing black material stop the roots?
Would they still take a lot of moisture from the soil?

Any ideas greatly received?

Thanks.

It might help to talk to suppliers of Mypex but I doubt it would stop tree
roots. Certainly plants in pots left on it for a long time will root
through it. http://www.growingtechnologies.co.uk/mypexinstal.htm
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)