ᐅ Preventing weed growth on excavated areas

Hello everyone.
We are currently planning our outdoor area and are doing as much as possible ourselves.
We have already had the future lawn area excavated, since large trucks cannot easily access the site after the terrace and other surfaces are installed. Early next year, we plan to fill the area with 20 to 30cm (8 to 12 inches) of topsoil once all the paving and other surfaces are completed.

Now we have a serious problem with weeds, especially thistles, and I have been considering covering the excavated area. The question is: Is this effective, and can it help control the weeds well? Would it be better to use an opaque landscaping fabric or a tarp for this purpose?

Thank you very much and best regards 🙂

Hi,
if you’re going to add another 20-30 cm (8-12 inches) anyway, you don’t need to do anything. Just watch it turn green.
To be completely sure later, you can rototill the area again next year and then add topsoil.

desixtor schrieb:

Hi,
if you’re adding another 20-30cm (8-12 inches) anyway, you don’t need to do anything. Just watch it turn green.
To be absolutely sure later, you can till the area again and then top it up with topsoil.

But won’t everything just grow back through the 30cm (12 inches) of topsoil? Before excavation, it looked like it does in the attachment. The thistles were easily 1.5m (5 feet) tall…

desixtor schrieb:

Hi,
if you’re going to add another 20-30cm (8-12 inches) anyway, you don’t need to do anything. Just watch it turn green.
To be absolutely sure later on, you can till the area again next year and then add topsoil.

Thanks to earthworms and other underground digging and building creatures, that will happen with 20cm (8 inches) anyway. I would lay down black plastic sheeting.

The plan works well. But you can only do that once you have backfilled. Or alternatively, apply chemicals first and then sow the seeds.

rick2018 schrieb:

The plane works well. But you can only do that after you’ve filled it in.
Or you can use chemicals on top and then sow the seeds.

Does it not make sense to do this before filling in? We were thinking of adding the topsoil at the very end and then sowing as soon as possible.