New homeowner met with warnings after sharing photo of previous owners' dangerous yard feature: 'Remove what you can'

When it comes to entering the exciting world of home landscaping for the first time, it is usually a wise option to consult the opinions of those who have seen a thing or two. 

While assessing the current condition of their outdoor space, one homeowner took to the r/landscaping subreddit to seek advice on where to start. 

The original poster included a single picture that showed an area in front of their home with shredded weed fabric and sparse mulch. "I don't have a lot of time or money to put toward this project right now, so I'm looking for the most efficient solution to make it look better until I can do a full makeover on this area in a couple years," the homeowner wrote.

"I know it desperately needs new mulch, but what about the weed fabric?"

In the comments section, most users were in agreement that weed fabric is nothing more than a waste of money. One commenter offered some advice that would require a decent amount of work from the original poster. 

"Weed fabric is the devils scam, it has uses but they're limited. Remove what you can," they suggested. "Reinstall mulch when you have the time / money. Leaf debris and grass also make excellent ground cover, arguably some of the best but they don't have aesthetic appeal." 

In general, weed fabric can often be helpful in weed suppression. However, it also has several drawbacks. It can sometimes disrupt natural soil processes, hinder plant growth, and be made of material that is less than ideal for the environment. And like in the case of the original poster, weed fabric can become less effective over time and may require frequent maintenance.

If you're looking to establish a native plant bed, it's often suggested to avoid landscaping fabric. Cardboard can be an effective and eco-friendly weed barrier. By layering cardboard beneath a mulch layer, you can smother existing weeds and prevent new ones from germinating. 

Native plants are a great way to save money and time since they require less maintenance and water. Even a partial lawn replacement offers these benefits to homeowners. For those looking to make a bigger change, xeriscaping and switching to a natural lawn also offer homeowners both time- and money-saving perks. Pollinators love the healthy ecosystem created by native plants, which benefits humans since they protect our food supply.

Other Redditors also recommended ditching the fabric. 

What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Mowing the lawn 🏡 Controlling weeds 🌿 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️ I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Yes, the fabric needs to go. You should be able to fairly easily with a little time and effort and a sharp box cutter," one commenter added. "Rake out all the old mulch and discard. It shouldn't really affect the plants much."

"Weed fabric was a good idea that just doesn't work lol," noted another user. "The theory was nice though."

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