Enviromat Installation
The No.1 rule when installing Enviromat is to ensure that the geotextile mat has contact with the surface below it AT ALL TIMES. If there is any airspace below the matting, it will not retain water and the plants will die.
The following steps need to be taken to successfully install Enviromat...
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Surface Preparation
For a flat, or slightly sloping surface with poor or no soil:. eg a domestic flat roof. a patio, a driveway
Standard rolls of Enviromat are one metre wide; if your design means that you need to use a narrow strip of Enviromat as well as two or more wider ones, (eg if your shed roof is 2.4m wide) try to avoid having the narrow strip on the outside - it will be far more secure in the middle…
- If you are constructing a domestic green roof, check first that it is waterproof as it is very difficult to repair leaks once the sedum matting is installed.
- A root barrier such as heavy-duty polyethylene is advisable on roofs to protect the waterproofing from root damage.
- Ensure that the surface is well drained and even. Enviromat will not tolerate sitting in a puddle for any length of time. If water does tend to accumulate anywhere, consider adding a drainage layer to prevent the Enviromat's roots becoming waterlogged.
- Q Lawns recommend that either a layer of sand or gravel or a moisture retention mat be laid on the surface before your Enviromat is installed. Moisture retention mat is a relatively inexpensive fleece which ensures that the plants have the right amounts of air and water to stay healthy and vigorous. In the long run - it means less work for you!
- Trim the water retention fleece to the right size and shape with a sharp knife.
- Any joins should be butted up tight together so that there are no spaces between the pieces.
- Drench the water retention mat to the point of water run-off, this will give the sedum plants a good start.
- An application of slow release granular fertiliser at this stage will help your Enviromat to establish quickly. Be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions.
- Time to Install Your Enviromat.
On a slope with poor/no soil
If you are planning to install Enviromat on a soil-less slope greater than 30 degrees, it may be difficult for the sedum plants to retain enough water to stay alive. If you are unable to water your Enviromat in dry weather, it is well worth thinking about installing an irrigation system…
- If you are constructing a domestic green roof, check waterproofing first as it is very difficult to repair leaks once the sedum matting is installed.
- A root barrier such as heavy-duty polyethene is advisable on roofing to protect the waterproofing from root-damage.
It is unlikely that you'll have any standing water on a slope, however you will need to make sure that the plants have enough water to survive. (Sedum plants are drought tolerant but like all living things they do need a certain amount of water)- Lay water retention matting on to the surface. Q Lawns recommends using a water retention fleece.
- If you are laying Enviromat across a ridge e.g. on a domestic shed roof, an extra layer of moisture retention mat approximately 30cm either side of the ridge will benefit the plants at the very top where water would normally run-off quite rapidly.
- Drench the moisture retention mat to the point of run-off. This will give the sedum plants a good start.
- An application of slow release granular fertiliser at this stage will help your Enviromat establish quickly. Be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions.
- Time to Install your Enviromat.
On to Soil - including patio pots, window boxes and contains
- Remove weeds and debris from the area.
- Check the condition of your soil. If it is prone to waterlogging, spreading a 4-5cm layer of sharp sand or gravel on top will improve the growing conditions for your Enviromat.
- Ensure that you are happy with the levels and contours of the ground. Remember that Enviromat must be in contact with the ground below at all times. It will mould itself to gentle hills and hollows but it isn't flexible enough to cope with sudden dramatic changes in incline. If your design includes lots of changes of level, you might want to consider installing seperate pieces of Enviromat to ensure the best possible results.
- To make sure that no perennial weeds invade your Enviromat from below, Q Lawns recommend laying a proprietary weed barrier (available from all good garden centres) before you put your Enviromat down. Simply follow the manufacturers' instructions. For pots and containers, a weed barrier is probably unneccessary.
- An application of slow-release granular fertiliser at this stage will help your Enviromat to establish quickly. Be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions.
- The soil should be quite moist (but not sodden) before installing your Enviromat.
- Time for Installation.
Cutting Enviromat to Size
- Trimming Enviromat to size couldn't be easier - simply use a sharp knife, or even a hacksaw, to cut through all of the layers.
- Always wear strong gloves, not only can the substrate be abrasive to skin, gloves offer extra protection to your hands should the knife slip.
- When covering large areas with Enviromat, it is far easier and safer to lay the product in place before trimming.
- A firm surface beneath the Enviromat will make cutting easier.
- Don't worry too much about damaging the plants - they will soon recover.
- Try not to "hack" at the product, a smooth cut will result in less substrate loss and tidier edges.
- A small amount of growing medium may be disturbed during cutting but this shouldn't be detrimental to the product in the long term.
Lay your Enviromat in place
Laid onto soil, Enviromat will romp away providing you with a fantastic colourful display in no time at all. Installation is very easy and done properly you should have an attractive, low-maintenance feature for many years to come...
- Handling tray sized pieces of Enviromat is not at all difficult, simply put the piece where you would like it to sit and adjust the position to make sure that the mat is in contact with the surface below at all times.
Slabs and rolls of Enviromat are heavy so please be careful how you handle them. A 2 square metre roll can weigh up to 80Kg (12 Stones) - definitely a 2-person job.- There are no set rules for laying Enviromat on a flat (or flattish) surface, but common sense dictates that it is best to start at a far corner of your area and work backwards - that way you will avoid trampling on the Enviromat you have already laid.
- Folded underneath each slab or roll of Enviromat is an extra flap of geotextile membrane. Once your Enviromat is in place, unfold this flap and lay it flat on the surface beside your sedum matting. The next piece of Enviromat will be laid on top of this to help anchorage.
- On a slope, start at the top of the slope and work down. Strips of Enviromat should run at 90 degrees to the top of the slope.
- If you are covering an apexed roof, by far the most effective way to lay Enviromat is to start at the eaves and take the sedum matting up, over the apex and back down the other side.