A Redditor was seeking some gardening advice from r/AZlandscaping and got a very clear answer from the community.
"Got a good chunk of our new backyard planted and now ready to throw down some gravel," wrote the original poster. "I'm a bit torn on whether to throw a fabric down first."
The poster went on to consider the pros and cons, as they saw them. They were hoping that the fabric could block weed growth and prevent rocks from sinking deeper into the soil than they wanted.
On the other hand, the poster had heard that landscaping fabric can prevent oxygen from exchanging in the soil, and hold moisture in a way that grows harmful fungus under the fabric, and generally be a problem for soil health below the lining.
The original poster's concerns about soil health when using landscaping fabric are well-founded. Landscaping fabric acts as a barrier for healthy oxygen and water flow through soil.
As a means of preventing weed growth, landscaping fabric has been proven time and again to be ineffective. Weeds happily grow on top of the fabric, sending roots through the lining, and making a matted mess that's incredibly difficult to remove later on.
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The plastics introduced to the soil by the fabric can shed microplastics, too. These can accumulate in any food you're growing, and once ingested, introduce endocrine, immune, circulatory, digestive, renal, and reproductive health risks.
All-natural weed control is much more reliable than landscaping fabric. This can be as simple as laying down cardboard, or the good old-fashioned elbow grease of pulling weeds.
The Reddit community was unanimous in its opposition to landscaping fabric.
"Weed fabric is always a mistake," wrote one community member. "Put down gravel deeply enough and you will have fewer problems."
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"Please don't. Waste of money. Plus it looks hideous after a few years when it starts coming up. Save your money," said another.
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