A gardener has cautioned homeowners against using landscape fabric for weed control, warning that the common method can cause more harm than good. Experts and experienced gardeners suggest that the synthetic or organic sheeting, marketed as a low-maintenance solution, often ends up costing more in the long run and may prove largely ineffective.
Cheaper and More Effective Alternative
A far simpler and cheaper alternative involves layering newspaper or cardboard directly on the soil and topping it with mulch. This method costs next to nothing and breaks down naturally over time, enriching the soil rather than damaging it. It can suppress weeds for up to two years.
Gardener Gabriella the Garden Sage highlighted the issue after sharing a Facebook post featuring photographs of kniphofia plants with compressed, stunted roots that were unable to push through a layer of landscape fabric buried beneath several inches of mulch. She explained that while mulch ordinarily breaks down and enriches the soil with nutrients, the fabric serves as a barrier, preventing those benefits from penetrating the clay soil underneath.
Gardener's Warning and Community Response
In the caption accompanying her post, Gabriella wrote: "Builders and landscape companies convinced homeowners to roll out acres of the stuff, extolling it as a key tool to make landscaping low maintenance and weed free. Not to mention that weeds grow quite happily on top of the fabric! For the sake of your plants, your soil, the planet, and your friendly local garden sage, just say no to landscape fabric!"
Several gardening enthusiasts left encouraging remarks on Gabriella's post. One wrote: "Yup. Our backyard is full of the stuff, it's so frustrating!" Another contributed: "I have had decent luck with either layers of newspaper or cardboard, then mulch on top." They added: "Weed suppression lasts about two years with this method." A third sided with Gabriella, commenting: "Exactly!" while another Facebook user noted: "Wow! That's good to know! How about laying newspapers down?"
Potential Drawbacks of Landscape Fabric
Although landscape fabric may appear to offer a simple solution to garden weeds, numerous experts warn that it frequently creates more difficulties than it resolves. It can obstruct root growth, deprive soil of air and moisture, and ultimately become a nuisance once weeds begin establishing themselves on top.
Removing it is far from straightforward and can require hours of gruelling work. Instead, householders may wish to explore more sustainable and soil-friendly alternatives, such as transforming their lawns with native plants, clover, buffalo grass, or considering xeriscaping — which involves replacing lawn areas with soil, rocks, mulch, or native plant species.
These alternatives not only cut down on maintenance and reduce water consumption, but also provide vital support for pollinators — insects that are fundamental to our food supply. Even transforming just a section of your garden can save both time and money, while improving soil health and encouraging a more balanced ecosystem.
