Gardener and designer Karen Atkins (@karenatkinsgardendesign) set out to warn homeowners about using a controversial landscaping tool in a recent video.
"Please never buy landscaping fabric," she said. "It's not a solution. It's not, in fact, fabric — it's actually plastic — which as you know isn't great for the environment."
@karenatkinsgardendesign #greenscreen #landscapefabric #beginninggardener #beginnergardener #beginnergardenersoftiktok #diygardening #gardendiy #gardendesign #gardenlayout ♬ original sound - foxglovestableandgarden
It's true — being made out of plastic, landscaping "fabric" never degrades or breaks down into organic material. Instead, it slowly sheds plastic fragments, called microplastics, which contaminate the soil, the water table, and even the air.
Microplastics are a major health concern; they've been found inside human bodies and inside the food we eat. While we still don't know the full extent of how they impact our health, researchers have already found links between microplastics and DNA damage, organ dysfunction, immune system and reproductive system damage, developmental issues, and chronic disease, per the journal Environment and Health.
And beyond that, Karen pointed out, it doesn't actually work the way it's intended to.
"As soon as you put mulch or dirt on top of it, what happens is it creates the perfect environment for weeds to develop," she explained. "And then you have two problems: You have plastic popping up and you have weeds popping up, which was your problem before."
One commenter confirmed her warning. "Yes we used this once … it didn't even last a season lol," they wrote.
Another was grateful for the timely tip. "I didn't [use it] now in time," they said.
Instead, using closely seeded native plants to rewild a yard is a great way to discourage weed growth without using plastics or chemicals. Similarly, upgrading to a noninvasive natural lawn with something like clover can be an excellent way to keep a lawn healthy and green.
And in the case of needing more severe weed suppression, Karen recommended cardboard. "It breaks down over time so it won't suppress weeds forever," she said, "but it won't hurt the environment or pop up looking ugly."
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No way 🙅 Another commenter agreed. "Plain old cardboard works great," they said.
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