A Reddit user posted to ask for advice on the best way to use landscape fabric, but commenters pointed out that the material was a poor option no matter how it's used.
The person asked r/GardeningUK how to create a neat edge when trimming landscape fabric. They wrote that the fabric would be placed under a deck and ground-level solar panels to prevent weeds.
"Despite pinning down, it's disintegrating at the edges," the user wrote. "P.S. have I mentioned that I hate this stuff?"
Landscape fabric is typically made of polyester or polyethylene, synthetic materials that are essentially plastic. Proponents of the material say it smothers weeds and reduces the need for herbicides. However, it breaks down over time, releasing plastic particles into soil and waterways and requiring replacement.
The poster would find lawn alternatives to be lower-maintenance and less costly. Growing native plants takes less time and energy than frequently replacing a fabric barrier. They also have more aesthetic appeal. The poster could also consider clover, buffalo grass, and xeriscaping.
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Commenters mostly focused on finding a solution, but one spoke out against the use of landscape fabric.
"Dig it up. The plastic will continue to disintegrate and will get even worse when you have to do any digging," they wrote. "Create a border using wooden planks and wooden stakes. The wood will eventually rot, but rotting wood is better than non-rotting plastic."
Someone else said: "Landscaping fabric is such a poor human invention. It falls apart in a few years, is difficult to remove, doesn't do its job for longer than a couple of years. It just is a badly thought-out solution."
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