A professional gardener's weed prevention tactic — a fabric landscaping barrier — gained a good dose of scrutiny online with seasoned home gardeners cautioning a homeowner to "rip it out" before it's too late.
In a Reddit post, the homeowner wrote that their gardener placed landscape fabric topped with rock pebbles around newly planted fruit trees. The homeowner added that they planned to top it with soil but wanted to know if the gardener's actions were "OK" first.
It's a good thing they asked, as many experienced gardeners shared their hesitation with the
landscaper's actions — and the homeowner's plans.
One commenter asked rhetorically, "Do trees in nature have landscape fabric and pebbles? Rip [it] out of there."
Landscapers and homeowners most often use landscape fabric to suppress weed growth as an alternative to chemical weed killers. But landscape fabric can harm plant health — and kill much more than just weeds.
When left for a few years or buried under dirt, the "pores" of the fabric can clog with dirt, preventing water and air from getting to plant roots, per Colorado State University. This can also allow weeds to germinate on top of the fabric, negating the purpose of the barrier.
Landscaping fabric also restricts the movement and health of beneficial soil-mixing organisms such as earthworms, insects, beneficial bacteria, and fungi. Washington State University adds that light penetration is "significantly reduced" when using landscape fabric. This can eventually lead to "sterile, unhealthy soil," per Colorado State University.
"This product is one of the most evil additions modern landscaping has brought to our age," one commenter wrote in response to the Reddit post. "It starts out being permeable but with time the holes in the fabric get filled in and you might as well have put down plastic. It is a soil killer."
|
What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Mowing the lawn 🏡 Landscaping fabric also often contains chemicals like petroleum and plastic, which leach into soil and break down into microplastics, per the University of California. And that's all not to mention the fabric surfacing and becoming an eyesore — or, at worst, harmfully twisting around plant roots.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Colorado State University advises that mulch is a better tactic for weed suppression. Mulch is a hugely beneficial element in any garden, helping manage soil temperature and moisture. Plus, it can help the soil maintain its nutrient density by adding micronutrients to the soil as the mulch breaks down. One commenter advised on how to mulch properly, avoiding "mulch volcanoes," which can suffocate trees.
"Pull it up and mulch around the tree instead," one commenter advised. "Keep it six inches from the trunk."
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
