A Redditor received a resounding response after asking whether they should have used landscaping fabric on a rocky feature in their yard. Redditors quickly filled up the comments with pleas to avoid the controversial product.
Posting in the r/landscaping subreddit, the original poster shared a photo of a dirt and rock mound in what presumably was their yard.
"I know this sub generally advises against using landscape fabric, but I'm wondering if I should have placed it behind these rocks," explained OP. "My plan is to add a lot of mulch on top and plant tall grasses, a bush, [and] flowers."
The response was emphatic.
"NO!!!!!" exclaimed one Redditor.
"No, never," pleaded another. "It's a joke and will haunt you for years to come."
Landscaping fabric has become a hot topic of conversation among landscapers and gardeners, with the vast majority of experts recommending natural alternatives such as mulch.
"[Landscaping fabric] is a manmade woven geotextile often made from polyester, polypropylene, or recycled plastic," wrote Allison Shadwell-Williams, a garden designer, in a paper posted on Pollinators.org. "Although sold as a solution to weeds, it often causes more harm than good."
Not only can landscaping fabric be surprisingly expensive, but it is also ineffective at its intended purpose of preventing weeds. Particularly when exposed to sunlight, landscaping fabric can begin to break down after just a few years, and once installed, landscaping fabric is basically impossible to remove completely.
"Never use landscaping fabric unless down the road you want a nightmare," warned one commenter. "10 years later I'm still trying to remove it."
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Absolutely 💯 Worse yet, landscaping fabric is bad for your plants.
"[No landscaping fabric is] suitable for the health of the soil or the well being of the plants it supposedly protects," explained Shadwell-Williams, the garden designer. "This fabric blocks sunlight, impedes soil aeration, disrupts water infiltration, and prevents natural soil enrichment."
"In other words," she continued, "it kills the soil microorganisms, prevents water from reaching the roots, and as it degrades, the plastic decomposes into the rivers and ocean, continuing a path of destruction."
Instead of using landscaping fabric, experts recommend laying several inches of mulch, avoiding mulches that contain artificial dyes. These mulches can be spotted by their use of marketing phrases like "color guarantee."
Another way to save money while making your yard more eco-friendly is to upgrade to a natural lawn, which will use less water while providing a natural habitat for local species. Rewilding your yard is another way to lower water usage while helping local animals and insects, like pollinators.
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