Homeowner met with warnings after sharing photo of recent garden project: 'It's pointless and counter productive'

A simple gardening post on Reddit has kicked off a heated debate: Is landscape fabric actually helpful, or is it just a waste of time?

One Redditor posted a photo of their front yard on r/GardeningUK after laying down a landscape membrane to prepare for some decorative stones. But after a bit of rain, they noticed something odd.

"I put down this garden membrane before my stones arrive and it rained a bit last night," they wrote. "Should I be worried that it doesn't drain through very well?"

While landscape fabric is supposed to block weeds and make gardening easier, many say it causes more issues than it solves. It can trap water (like in this post), block air from reaching the soil, break apart over time, and even make weeds worse by giving them a place to grow on top.

It's also often made of plastic, which means it's not great for the environment. Once it falls apart, it can leave particles in the soil that are practically impossible to remove.

The photo showed water puddling on top of the fabric — more like a plastic tarp than something that lets water soak through. That got other gardeners talking right away.

One user shared a pretty good observation: "It looks like DPM damp proof membrane — you want garden membrane which is woven out of thin plastic strands,".

Another chimed in bluntly: "Or just don't use any because it's pointless and counter productive."

If you're looking for something that actually works (and is better for the planet), try laying down cardboard. While it won't keep weeds away forever, it will help to slow the spread, making weeding a lot more manageable.

For those looking for a low-maintenance yard, try swapping a monoculture lawn for native plants or groundcover, like clover or buffalo grass. Xeriscaping, which utilizes rocks and drought-tolerant plants, is another option.

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These low-maintenance gardens can cut down on watering, save money, and create a welcoming space for pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Reddit users are on to something: landscape fabric might not be the best way to go.

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