‘That would be a terrible mistake’

While many people might strive for a traditional grass lawn, it’s not for everyone. One gardener looking for an alternative in their backyard took to Reddit for advice on landscape fabric.

In a post shared on r/NoLawns, they asked for help in upgrading the bare patch of dirt that makes up their backyard. 

They included a photo featuring dead grass and a dry area in a fenced-in and well-shaded yard. There were also a couple of palm trees in the corner of the yard. 

Their plan was to cover the area with wood chips, but they were curious about the best way to do that. They asked, “Can I put landscaping fabric directly over it and then the wood chips?”

Photo Credit: Reddit

Landscape fabric is a fairly common tool used in many gardens to suppress weeds, but it can cause more trouble than it’s worth. Firstly, it is typically made of “polyester, polypropylene, or recycled materials,” according to Lawn Love, meaning you are covering your yard or garden with a layer of plastic. It breaks apart over time, creating microplastics and leaching chemicals into your soil. Plus, it will be incredibly hard to remove if you ever decide you no longer want it in your yard. 

While mulch or wood chips will cover up a barren patch in a yard, they are not going to provide much in the way of ecosystem support. Even in an arid climate, there are native flora that can support wildlife and pollinators. Native plants are typically well-adapted to their ecosystems and can thrive in your local environment. Because of this, natives generally need less maintenance and can save you money on your water bills as well as buying fertilizer and pesticides. 

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Folks on Reddit had plenty of ideas for the best course of action.

“The landscape fabric will break down and be a nightmare to deal with later on,” one person said. “I suggest just using a cardboard layer as an alternative so when it breaks down you don’t have to remove it. Thick layer of mulch too.”

Someone else wrote: “That would be a terrible mistake. The weeds will just wind up growing on top of the fabric.”

“I would suggest brown landscaping paper instead of fabric,” another commenter shared. “… [It] will decompose, adding nitrogen to the soil instead of plastic scraps that you’ll be swearing at in five years’ time.”

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