A frustrated homeowner has sparked some opinionated reactions online after discovering just how much landscape fabric the previous owners hid throughout the property.
The Reddit post, shared in r/GardeningAustralia, shared how the homeowner was grappling with sheets of deteriorating weed-suppression fabric buried under gravel paths, the deck, and along the house.
"Should we replace the weed suppression fabric or bin it completely?" they asked.
The post quickly resonated with homeowners familiar with this all-too-common mistake.
"Weed suppression fabric is so gross, we have too many microplastics in the environment already!" one commenter wrote. "We had a similar issue, I've dug it out and binned it whenever I find any."
Landscape fabric is often marketed as a simple, low-maintenance weed solution, but many gardeners have said it rarely works as promised. Over time, soil and organic debris accumulate on top of the fabric, creating the perfect conditions for weeds to take root anyway — meaning homeowners still end up pulling weeds while also battling the deteriorating plastic left behind. That's money, time, and effort lost for a product that creates more problems than it solves.
Beyond the annoying cleanup, degraded landscape fabric can interfere with water flow, harm soil health, and prevent roots from getting the oxygen they need. This ultimately makes it harder to maintain healthy garden beds.
For homeowners looking for genuinely low-maintenance solutions, experts instead recommend switching to native plants or regional-specific ground covers such as clover and buffalo grass. Native plant life can naturally suppress weeds while nurturing soil health and offering support to pollinators, which are also essential to our food supply. Xeriscaping and even partially upgrading to a natural lawn can offer similar benefits. Plus, natural lawns save you money on upkeep and water bills.
Redditors didn't hold back in their reactions.
"Get rid of it, and don't waste your money buying more," one commenter wrote bluntly.
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A rain barrel 🌧️ "Ugh, I just spent two weeks pulling that stuff out. It had weeds and roots growing through it," another added.
"You could replace the weed suppression fabric, but the same will happen again down the road. Look at natural materials like hessian or coconut fibre, thickly laid cardboard or newspapers. You ideally want to avoid adding more plastics to your soil," a third person suggested.
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