Gardening can be a peaceful and rewarding activity, but surprises are bound to come up.
One first-timer ran into an obstacle when they moved into a new home and discovered landscaping fabric littering the garden.
"I am very new to this … is [the fabric] really necessary?" they asked in a Reddit post on r/GardeningUK.
The answer is a resounding no. People often install these products in garden beds if they are concerned about weeds. However, the material does not stop weeds in the long term and can actually cause harm to the plants you are trying to grow.
Not to mention, most of these "fabrics" are made of plastic and slowly deposit pollution straight into the soil. That waste then threatens the wider ecosystem, including humans.
Instead of spending unnecessary money on plastic landscaping rolls or toxic herbicides to control your garden, consider using native plants.
These species are already adapted to succeed in your area, and they require less watering and maintenance overall. That means less time waging war on weeds, more time enjoying your garden, and some extra cash in your pocket.
You can start with just a single patch of native plants in your garden. Or, if you have a grass lawn, you can convert some or all of it into a more natural option that takes less work.
Two more easy strategies for sustaining a healthy garden are mulching and composting. When used properly, mulch can safely provide the protection that landscaping fabric fails to deliver. Meanwhile, adding compost to your soil is a great way to keep it strong and full of nutrients.
Other Redditors quickly convinced the original poster of what to do next with their fabric problem.
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$200 or more 💰 "Pull it up and get rid of it," one commenter wrote.
"Throw it out," another agreed.
"It's awful stuff and kills the soil," someone else added. "Every time I see it, it makes me wanna cry."
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