Here.s what happens 15+ years after landscape fabric is used for weed control.
I am trying to save some hinoki cypress, and then remove fabric from the rest of the grounds. It.s all nicely landscaped, and the install was costly, but the fabric is killing many plants. I estimate this was installed 15-20+ years ago. (Ignore the numbers on the pics.)
Pic 1- One cypress already died. There.s no evidence of the death being from any other reason.
Pic 2- other cypress in the area are declining. The leaves are yellowing and drying. The entire landscaping is done with fabric, and the plants put into small holes. Trunks of some shrubs are growing into the fabric as they.ve outgrown their holes.
Pic 3- the roots are growing over the fabric as that.s where the nutrition is. However the irrigation is all below the fabric. The roots are very shallow as they grow where the nutrients are. But that makes them suseptible to drought. The roots under the fabric get water but no food.
Pic 4- the roots grow right thru the fabric. It.s so bad that many roots were damaged in the removal. Fingers crossed they recover.
Pic 5- the soil from 2 different locations. The soil below the fabric is essentially dead. No organic matter, no microbes, no nutrition. Only water. Above the fabric is all the good stuff- but no irrigation.
Pic 6- the soil in a different location. Three trees are dying here.
The remediation plan is to add microbes via sea soil and worm castings. Nutrition added with organic fish fertilizer and similar supplements, plus more mulch for organic matter. Consistent watering from above will help move microbes and nutrients deeper into the soil.
It will take years to build this soil into a healthy base for the plants to flourish.
Any other remediation tips are welcome.
I hope this gets people considering using fabric to rethink your plans.
by sparkle_tart
2 Comments
I also removed the landscaping fabric when I moved into my newest house. I think it was there for 10-8 years, no idea. The soil was completely dead and compacted. I used a rototiller lightly, covered with mulch, and fixed the irrigation system that was not really working. After only a year everything is doing much better. Plants are growing and trees are looking fuller and greener.
I did use microlife multipurpose around trees and plants and medina plus soil activator. Good luck!
Edit: wrong brand: it is medina not medila
This should be pinned.