I have 96 native plant plugs sitting in their containers waiting to be planted. I decided today is the day, perfect weather. I go to dig my first hole and uncover the rabbit hole that is landscaping fabric. It’s about 1000 sq ft just covered in the stuff. There goes my whole day. Pictures for maximum annoyance. Any tips or tricks for easier removal? Or am I just destined to throw my back out.
by Puppy_Iya
35 Comments
You back will be sore. I am pulling out fabric that I installed years ago when I didn’t understand the implications over time. On the plus side, it’s good exercise 🙂
Pulling it is effective. Yeah, I’m not a fan. It’s common practice for landscape architects to use it, especially in the city, but I despise it. I have 5,000 square feet of it to remove this summer as well. Wishing you the best!
Ugh! Same here. I don’t have the energy to pull it this season…..
I found that gently scraping back the top layer of soil is best, otherwise it has a tendency of ripping into small pieces.
It’s obnoxious and I wish it was outlawed, drives me insane.
Literally the worst thing in garden centers/section. Stupid social media drives the super manicured landscaping and shrills make a good chunk of change shilling even with whatever green washing adverts they use. Just manage the weeds as you see them and pull or ignore or cut em down. It literally stunts the shit out of so many plants and prevents underground beneficial insects from doing what they need to do for soil conditioning
Yea never again
And we wonder why there’s microplastics in our water… 🤬 I’m still dealing with this in my front garden after 8 years of rework. Hang in there, you’re making a good difference!
My guy used 2×4 rubber mats everywhere. People are the worst.
I’m glad I got into gardening reddits before getting too far on my blanket slate new construction yard. Saved me from putting it in a few mulch beds. I still have a couple river rock beds I put in before I knew better that have been a pain in my butt to plant anything in 🥲
I’ll raise you. I went to install a new bed near my house last weekend and found that there’s several feet deep and wide of buried rock along the foundation, but it’s not the kind of rock you’re supposed to use along the foundation, or deep enough. So now I know why my basement leaks there, and have many weekends ahead of me of hand digging a shit ton of rock.
It’s the gift that keeps on giving. My brother (who even majored in environmental science) put down fabric everywhere and at least 4” of dyed bark mulch on top. You can try waiting for rain or hosing it down- mine sits on top of compacted clay so sometimes I can pull really hard and it slides out.
I bought a formal rental with years worth of yard neglect. Literally pulled out a hundred pounds worth of weeds and some like bindweed, I needed to use roundup and then fabric and then mulch on top to just get to a manageable level.
Looks great now.
The one part where I didn’t used landscaping fabric and instead tried to jumpstart some grouncover is what’s giving me a headache.
So really depends, works for my situation but if you’re not totally F’d. Dont bother with it
It’s the worst.
I hate that stuff!!!
I’m so glad I came across this post! I’ve been making flowerbeds and wondering if I was being lazy by not laying down fabric. Mulch instead- got it.
I’m with you!! I have pulled out probably miles of it from my home of two years. But I got a surprise. Under the fabric is red dyed, ground up tires “rubber mulch”, then under that is 6 mil black plastic…you know…to keep the weeds out. 🙄 They just grow on top. I tried to get the shredded rubber out and it’s like removing soil from sand. I finally gave up and just left it in the ground. I just can’t.
Now imagine it is the thin plastic mesh that cuts through fingers and gloves. Weed fabric at least can be yanked up together sometimes
It’s good for pebble stone walkways, but not much else
Ugh, I removed so much landscaping fabric when we moved into our home a few years ago. I am so glad that stuff is gone now. I did it all myself, my body was so sore and stiff after ripping it all out. It’ll be good when it’s gone though!!
Try having that garbage-bag-plastic-type of landscape fabric. You can’t pull it at all! It just tears off in tiny pieces.
just wait until you start digging and find theres a second layer under an inch of crud, then a 3rd layer (yes this happens). Some people just keep throwing new fabric down.
because money
I hate this stuff so much!! Let the soil breathe…. It and me will be much happier
I see your fabric and raise you BLACK PLASTIC SHEETING put down by the previous owner.
There was much Tylenol and cursing, but we (think) got it all.q
Ok but will it pull all the Euro Lily off the Valley growing on top on mine?? I discovered I had it when I found an Asian Bittersweet root that punched straight through it 🙄
It sucks, sorry. It helps to remove all the dirt from on top of the fabric lol.. This is why I will only use clean cardboard and compost or mulch as a barrier
Because I didn’t know better back then!
I agree. Its WHACK.
Also, not 1 place that I did gardening at, did it help with the weeds. They will always find a way.
Seems like another colonizer garden ‘hack’..
The previous homeowner planted shrubs in it (in my leach field!) and I got smart and had those professionally removed but the remaining fabric is still there with so much Stuff growing through it. Nigh impossible to remove as it’s all grown together. I have an old pair of scissors and I scrape dirt off the fabric and snip little bits as I go.
You’re lucky. Our previous owners used roof shingles, plastic bags, trash bags, old sheets, etc.
Our yard is landscaping fabric and plastic lasagna. It’s a mess.
As someone new to this trying to avoid being the person who puts this stuff down, what is the better alternative if I want to put down mulch but currently have a bunch of weeds growing?
I’ve given up and am looking for shallow-rooted natives to plant in the thin layer of dirt over mine
imagine my surprise buying a home and finding bird netting 4-5 inches below the soil line. infuriates me
I didn’t even know landscaping fabric was used to block weeds. The only legitimate use I am aware of is between a dry-laid rock wall and the backfill to reduce soil seeping through. Doesn’t even seem to be very effective at that.