A landscaper encountered a major irritant while working for a client and shared a photo on Reddit with the community at r/landscaping.
"Possibly the craziest example of plastic use for weed barrier I've come across," they wrote. "6. In or more biomass completely carpeted together on top of like 10 mil plastic."
"The homeowner has only been here a few months but whoever did the plastic absolutely killed the tree that was back here," the original poster wrote later in the comments. "I have root flair bigger than my arm that was 8 in under the soil and plastic."
Landscaping fabric is a notoriously poor choice for any yard. It does a poor job of stopping weeds, and it leaves behind a tattered mess of plastic that's difficult to remove. The barrier limits the transfer of water and nutrients, which is exactly why it can kill trees, as the original poster described.
Over time, landscaping fabric can shed microplastics, which can readily end up in food supplies. When ingested, microplastics pose risks to digestive, endocrine, renal, circulatory, immune, neurological, and reproductive health, according to a growing body of research.
Maintaining a healthy yard is an important part of supporting local ecosystems while also enjoying a wealth of other benefits. A native plant yard can be the perfect home for pollinators, while its drought resistance can keep maintenance costs low. Also, mature trees can lower ambient temperatures while sequestering carbon. For those tempted by landscaping fabric, consider all-natural weed control instead.
Other landscaping professionals on Reddit could relate to the original poster's plight.
"I ran into this exact scenario on a garden bed renovation," one community member wrote. "I started finding layers of plastic and landscape fabric mixed with roots. What should have maybe been a half day job turned into two full days of some of the hardest pulling and tearing out I've ever done by hand in my years of doing this."
"I crave more photos of this solid carpet of roots above the plastic. That's gnarly," another replied.
|
What is your least favorite lawn chore? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Mowing the grass 🌱 
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
Cool Picks
