An exasperated homeowner took to the Reddit forum r/LandscapingTips to warn against landscaping fabric. Hours of a nightmare ordeal to rid their yard of the fabric culminated in a giant pile of trash that they had to take to the dump.
"And this is why I hate landscaping fabric," the original poster wrote.
These sentiments were echoed by others in the comment section.
"I hate the cheap crap that's just a waste of money," another Reddit user wrote.
The recognition of landscape fabric as an unwise economic investment has grown in recent years, as many gardeners are emphasising the natural garden trend. Rewilding one's yard by opting for native plants that support each other and keep out unwanted weeds has become the way to go for an easy, affordable, and beautiful garden.
Landscape fabric ultimately has been thrown by the wayside, not only because of its high costs with limited benefits, but also because it can harm a garden more than solve any problems it has.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
Numerous disadvantages of the fabric have been presented by gardeners over the years, including this breakdown by Martha Stewart. It suffocates organisms needed for soil health, such as earthworms and microbes. Additionally, it restricts air and water flow, still allows weeds to break through, and leaches microplastics into the ground.
Those factors all contribute to an unhealthy garden, while microplastics can further cause hazards to homeowners' air, soil, and water. This makes it even harder for a garden to grow healthy plants in the future.
To combat the negative impacts of landscaping fabrics, many natural solutions are growing in popularity. The cardboard method uses layers of brown, biodegradable cardboard to act as a barrier to weeds before decomposing into the soil — adding nutrients in the process. Mulching is also a great alternative, as it continues to add nutrients to the soil and keeps weeds out — just make sure the mulch used is natural and not made from recycled rubber.
Redditors were equally horrified by the homeowner's arduous day of removing the fabric.
TCD Picks » Stasher Spotlight
💡Stasher's reusable food storage options make it easy and affordable to live life with less plastic
|
What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Mowing the lawn 🏡 "There is no reason to use it," one wrote.
Another confirmed how well cardboard works as an alternative: "Cardboard works pretty well in the short term."
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
