A homeowner was met with a stern warning from the r/landscaping subreddit after asking about installing landscaping fabrics and gravel.
They set the stage by revealing that their yard had about 10 feet of barren dirt with no grass on it. Nothing had grown in the two months since they'd been there or before, apparently. They were looking to put a gravel section in and wanted to know if landscaping fabric was a must.
"I would strongly encourage you to not use either product," a user quickly advised them. They laid out their reasoning by noting that "landscape fabric is a bit of a gimmick as an underlay for mulch." Despite the promise of its manufacturers, they pointed out that "it will still gather dirt and create an environment for weeds," even with gravel above it.
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Making it look better 🌱 They also weren't sold on gravel for the OP's lawn. The Redditor said it would "create a fairly inhospitable environment" for other plants, be ineffective in fighting off weeds, and do a poor job of retaining moisture.
"I would spend the money amending the soil after a soil test is completed to allow for the best environment for your home landscape," they recommended.
Their response was upvoted and is further backed up by plenty of horror stories with landscape fabric. Many homeowners can attest to it being ineffective at stopping weeds. It also can inhibit other plants as it interferes with the soil.
Gravel has its own set of detractors with many pointing to it being bad for other plants, unstable and frustrating to walk on, and prone to weeds.
The OP did later clarify that the gravel would be aesthetic, and a possible base for a shed. They weren't planning on vegetation and instead were considering a BBQ pit, fire pit, and yard furniture.
So, this might be a rare case where the pea gravel plus landscaping fabric combination is the best of an imperfect situation. Still, the OP and other homeowners should be very wary of the landscaping fabric leaking, being a nightmare to clean up, and negatively impacting the environment.
Users wanted to make sure if they did go the landscape fabric route, they didn't buy the cheap stuff.
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"Just be sure to use the right kind of fabric," one suggested. "The stuff sold by HD and Lowes doesn't cut it."
"Commercial grade is a must," another user confirmed.
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