A gardener is doing their part to warn homeowners from making the mistake of using landscape fabric. TikTok creator phoenixfirestarter (@phoenixfirestarter) issued a public service announcement in a video that explained why the product is both ineffective and bad for your soil.
The TikToker sets the tone by saying, "I hate this stuff," in reference to landscape fabric. She does concede that using it to separate imported gravel from your soil is the one potential good use.
@phoenixfirestarter Landscaping fabric is actually bad for your garden! #gardentok #sustainablegardening #planttok #gardentips ♬ original sound - phoenixfirestarter
Outside of that, though, she is fully out on it.
"Landscape fabric essentially kills your soil," she explains. "I've seen it time and time again."
TCD Picks » Uplevel Your Yard
💡Save money, cut pollution, and impress your neighbors with the best yard on the block
The creator says it "actually interrupts the natural soil cycles, and you'll end up with dead soil." From there, the resulting low-quality soil will prevent your plants from thriving.
So why do many gardeners dabble with it? That would be its alleged weed-fighting properties. The TikToker pokes a hole in this idea, pointing out that while landscape fabric can help prevent weeds from the underside, wind is very effective at blowing weeds in.
Thus, it's not a comprehensive weed-fighting solution. Meanwhile, the creator suggests the much more eco-friendly solution of overlapping cardboard. Instead of leaking plastic and making a mess over the coming years, cardboard breaks down and feeds the soil.
Good old-fashioned weeding is the other remedy, though she acknowledges some might balk at that.
Phoenixfirestarter's explainer echoes the cautionary tales of many consumers.
If fighting weeds is your goal, many homeowners will attest that landscape fabric is merely a temporary fix and a waste of money overall. Weeds find a way eventually through the underside, and the wind is a fearsome foe.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
|
Which of these benefits is your biggest motivation in gardening? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Getting outside more 🌱 Meanwhile, it can be a mess to clean up. Since many brands are made out of plastic, they leak worrisome microplastics into the soil over time.
Cardboard is a great alternative, and other gardeners have touted newspapers. Meanwhile, these better solutions will allow you to put in native plants and rewild your garden if you so choose.
That could provide a boon to pollinators, which are crucial to our food and vegetables, while saving you money and water.
Commenters on TikTok were aligned with the anti-landscape fabric message.
"Sort of 20 years down the line it just shreds and I'm gonna have to dig it out anyways," one said.
Another wrote: "More people need to hear this!!"
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
