If you are looking for an effective weed-blocking tool or agent to add to your new garden project, don’t make the same mistake this Redditor almost did.
A user on the r/BackyardOrchard subreddit asked whether they should use non-permeable weed-blocking fabric to prevent the spread of weeds around the trees in their backyard.
“I have plenty of hay and hay/manure mix I can use too, but I’ve tried that by itself before and it doesn’t keep weeds and grass at bay for very long. What are your thoughts?” the original poster wrote.
Pretty much everyone in the comments agreed that using landscaping fabric was a bad idea, and for good reason, as it tends to do more harm than good in the long term.
The OP happened to have the non-permeable kind, which means it does not allow water or air to pass through, which can suffocate and dry out the soil meant to nurture your plants.
It is also not particularly effective at stopping the spread of weeds, making it a waste of money. Additionally, most types are made of nonbiodegradable plastic, which can release harmful chemicals into the soil and break apart into microplastics over time.
“I wouldn’t recommend it. Find an arborist who will dump a load of wood chips on your property and spread those around as mulch. Signed, Someone who had to rip up 2,500 sq ft of failing weedblock fabric from a previous homeowner, with weeds and grass all growing through it,” wrote one user.
“It sucks so much,” another commenter said of landscape fabric.
The most effective method of limiting the spread of weeds in your garden — apart from a good mulch — is to upgrade to a natural lawn that includes grass types that don’t need a lot of water or maintenance to grow, such as clover and buffalo grass.
You can also try xeriscaping your lawn, a landscaping style that requires little water. This can be achieved by using materials such as stone and gravel or by planting drought-tolerant native plants that are accustomed to your area’s typical rainfall patterns.
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Native plants are also more attractive to pollinators, which are vital for supporting the human food supply and dispersing seeds.
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