A Reddit user sparked a lively thread on r/vegetablegardening with a post asking about using rubber or plastic products for landscaping needs.
“So many of us have fixed shape beds,” the original poster wrote. “But I was also thinking about towers with pockets. I just don’t love mulch, I always feel like it gets mixed in with the soil.”
“Rubber is natural, but I guess microrubber is a thing. … Any thoughts?” the OP asked.
They also mentioned a product not typically seen in garden beds: Matala filter pads. They’re stiff, netted mats used to clean pond water — but they might offer structure in raised or vertical gardens too.
The pads come in four levels of firmness and can be cut to fit different shapes. The OP thought they could help keep soil cooler and more stable in pocket beds.
That idea raised a few eyebrows. The filter pads are made of a polypropylene blend — a type of plastic. Users were skeptical of both rubber and plastic in gardens.
Rubber mulch has many downfalls, including leaching toxins into soil, smelling bad, and burning in the hot sun. Matala filter pads might not come with those issues, but they can trap and grow bacteria, according to Jersey Shore Pondscapes Videos on YouTube.
“They are durable, but they provide a lot of surface area for not only bacteria to grow but for waterflow through them,” the creator said.
Plastic will also eventually break down into microplastics, which contaminate soil and waterways, ending up in food and drinking water. Microplastics can also be devastating for wildlife. Neither plastic nor rubber are healthy substitutes for compost or native cover.
Sick of upkeep? Natural lawns offer a cleaner, cheaper path forward. And they don’t come with the risks of spreading toxic particles around your vegetables.
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Even partial lawn replacements using clover, buffalo grass, or native plants can support pollinators — which help protect the food supply — and reduce yard chores. Native plants also reduce water bills, helping homeowners save cash every month.
If you’re curious about swapping your lawn or beds for something smarter, native plants are the way to go. Just steer clear of rubber mulch and plastic. Your soil, your plants, and your lungs will thank you.
Redditors were not fans of these plastic pads or rubber.
“Rubber is a very bad idea,” one user warned. “It can leach into the soil and then you have nasty chemicals mixed in with food you intend to eat.”
Another user wrote: “Do not use [the pads] unless you want to kill your plants. Then you are infecting the ground with microplastics as it wears on itself.”
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