Landscaping fabric is often seen as a helpful tool for weed control, but it became one couple's biggest gardening mistake.
Posting on Instagram, gardening experts Nick and Juana (@aboutsixacres) explained that they had installed landscaping fabric to help control the weeds and grasses between their gardening beds. After they had prepped the ground, they installed the fabric between the back row of beds but stopped because it didn't feel right.
Fast-forward two years, and the landscaping fabric had started to cause problems. The gardeners noticed that the fabric had begun bubbling because grasses were growing underneath it. Some grasses send out horizontal stems that run underground, called rhizomes, which send thick roots downward and shoots upward, and they were growing underneath the fabric and between the fabric and the plant beds.
"We are thrilled we only had to remove the back row. What a nightmare!" wrote Nick and Juana in the video caption.
Unwanted plants often grow up or down through landscaping fabric, making it inefficient at controlling weeds, which is the reason most people use it. Although it may work initially, people often end up having to remove it, resulting in a significant waste of time and money. People also have to cut through it to plant new plants, which leads to lots of holes in the fabric, making it more difficult to remove when the time comes.
Most landscaping fabric is made of plastic, which is not good news for the environment. As it degrades, it leaches harmful chemicals and microplastics into the soil, which end up in waterways. This is also not good news for people growing food, as the toxins can be taken up by the plant and end up inside our bodies.
There are lots of natural alternatives to putting plastics on the soil. A combination of cardboard or paper and wood mulch, for example, can help prevent weeds while adding nutrients to the soil. Combining this with native plants can make your yard easier to maintain while providing a haven for local wildlife, such as pollinators, which depend on native plants to support them as they protect our food supply. As a bonus, because native plants and natural lawns require less water and resources, they can also save you money.
Several commenters agreed with Nick and Juana's assessment of the gardening tool.
One person wrote, "It is the worst invention ever."
"Such a relatable mistake! I know lots of people that have done the same thing and regretted it so you are not alone!" added another.
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