As the weather gets warmer and the days grow longer, many people are excited to get back out into the garden. But if you’re anything like us, and your garden has been a little neglected over the colder months, then you may have a bit of work to do to get your outdoor space back in ship-shape order. 

Borders need to be edged and compost needs to be spread, but there’s one bigger job standing between you and a garden that’s the envy of everyone: weeding. It’s the bane of most gardeners’ green endeavours – a consistent thorn in the side of horticulturists. 

But what if there were a simple and eco-friendly way to keep your garden weed-free? One that takes almost no effort – one that uses the trusty tarp to do all the hard work for you? Tarping is one of the simplest ways to keep your garden free of weeds, but how do you do it? 

Read on as we break down how you can use a tarp to stop those pesky weeds from popping up. 

Five steps to keeping your garden weed-free with a tarp 

The trusty tarp is a truly versatile piece of kit. From building camping shelters to crafting boats, from covering boats to protecting machinery, tarpaulins really are wonder materials. But how can they keep your garden weed-free? Well, it’s simple. All you have to do is follow these few easy steps and watch your green space flourish. 

Step 1) Choose your tarp 

First, you’ll need to choose the right tarp for the job. It should be heavy-duty and thick enough to withstand the weather – UV-resistant, easy to secure and weigh down. Ideally, you’ll want an opaque tarp in a dark colour. 

The tarpaulin will ultimately cover the area you want to clear of those pesky weeds, so it needs to be the appropriate size tarp. Simply plot out the area and measure it to make sure you know exactly what size tarp you’ll need. 

Step 2) Preparing the ground for tarping 

Once you have your tarp, it’s time to get to work on the ground. Begin by cutting down or flattening any tall weeds or grasses. You don’t have to be too thorough — just make sure the tarp can lie relatively flat over the ground surface. 

Step 3) Lay the tarp 

When your ground is prepared, you can go ahead and lay the tarp over the area you want to make weed-free. Be sure to cover the entire space, and if you’re using multiple tarps, try overlapping them slightly to make sure you’re fully covering the area. 

Weigh down the tarp with bricks, stones or sandbags. The most secure method is to tie ropes to the eyelets of your tarp and stake it out, securing it firmly to the ground. 

Step 4) Sit and wait 

Leave the tarp in place for at least three to six weeks in warmer weather. The longer the tarp stays down, the more effective it is, as it takes time to prevent weeds and seeds from germinating. 

Step 5) Remove the tarp and get planting 

When you’re satisfied that the tarp has been in place long enough, you can go ahead and haul it off. You should see visibly fewer weeds and softer soil underneath. Your new weed-free soil should be rich in nutrients and ideal for planting your favourite flowers, vegetables, or shrubs. 

Tarping has a whole host of benefits 

By blocking sunlight with a tarp, you prevent weeds from germinating or photosynthesising. It also traps moisture and heat, encouraging any existing weeds to decompose more quickly. But aside from leaving the soil noticeably weed-free – and saving you a lot of time and energy – tarping has a few more brilliant benefits: 

• Improved soil health: Over time, tarping can actually improve soil structure by encouraging microbial activity beneath the surface. 

• Less invasive: By not digging up the soil, we allow all the wonderful wildlife and mini-creatures living underground to remain undisturbed. 

• More effective: Tarping kills weeds by depriving them of the resources they need to survive. By contrast, tilling may make it look like there are fewer weeds for a while, but often you're simply spreading and stirring them up. 

• Keep on tarping: Once you're done, you can reuse your tarp and do it all over again – or brush the dirt off and use it for any number of other gardening jobs. 

Need help choosing the right garden tarp for you? 

So, there you have it. We bet you thought your mega-useful tarp was only good for covering things, protecting your lawnmower, gathering leaves, or keeping firewood dry. But no – there’s so much more the humble garden tarp can do to help your garden stay blooming and beautiful. 

At Tarpaulins Direct, we help people find the perfect tarpaulin for the job and get the most out of it. So, if you need a hand choosing the right size tarp, or if you have any questions about any of our products, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re always happy to help.