Comments on: Is Landscape Fabric/ Weed Barrier Right for You?

By: PWK

PWK — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 21:11:31 +0000

Thank you for this article, as I was about to lay s ome more fabric down in a rather large garden under a large oak where I have planted some hostas (3 around tree), 2 rhododendrons (one on either side), and a river birch, with, in the middle of all of that, a beautiful little dark birdbath with (presently) 4 double deep pink impatiens surrounding the bath. I guess now I will rely on a heavy application of pine bark mulch with any pine needles I can gather from my large (fur) tree located elsewhere. This article and peoples’ responses are so helpful.

By: Genevieve

Genevieve — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 02:10:48 +0000

Diane, you can mitigate the effects by making it a part of regular yearly maintenance to cut a little more fabric away from the base of perennials every year as they grow, so the perennials can benefit from the mulch breaking down and benefiting the soil. You do it a little at a time so the plant itself can shade out weeds. Do make sure you keep up with your weeding – no matter the year rating, if your weeds are allowed to grow big enough to break through the fabric, the fabric will have tiny holes all over and will become less effective.

By: Diane

Diane — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:29:11 +0000

Hmmm…. Too bad I didn’t see this earlier. My husband insisted on installing landscape fabric (it’s actually more of an industrial fabric – apparently good for 50 years I’m afraid) over the front flower beds at our home. The former owner had let everything go to weed to the point that even the perennials had become weeds. I saved a few plants and am trying a few new ones including some evergreens (these I’m sure won’t mind the tarp), but I’m afraid the tarp will bother my perennials. I guess I’ll be ripping the stuff out when my husband’s not around to see it!

By: Cobrahead Weeding Tool Review | North Coast Gardening

Cobrahead Weeding Tool Review | North Coast Gardening — Mon, 24 May 2010 04:11:48 +0000

[...] top of landscape fabric. Because I wasn’t worried about incorporating soil into the wood chips (landscape fabric has its uses), the Cobrahead worked really well at getting out the small, few-week-old weeds in the garden [...]

By: Genevieve

Genevieve — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:46:13 +0000

HB, you’re so right. Under pea gravel’s an excellent place for it!

By: hb

hb — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:26:27 +0000

Excellent article! Thank you. I have one spot in the garden where landscape fabric worked well: under a pea-gravel path. It's kept the gravel from mixing into the soil. Of course pea-gravel paths have their own serious drawbacks, but just like landscape fabric, there are places for them. .-= hb´s last blog ..Photography As A Tool For Better Garden Design =-.

By: Laura Livengood Schaub (InterLeafer)

Laura Livengood Schaub (InterLeafer) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 05:08:16 +0000

You said it all, and more. I also detest landscape fabric, and usually only use it as an extra layer under gravel or fines paths; never in flowerbeds. Mulch mulch mulch does everything that landscape fabric purports to do, and so much more!!! Glad to find your blog (at recommendation of Susan Morrison) and I'll be back! Laura Livengood Schaub (InterLeafer)’s last blog post..A Gardener's Stack 1: The Grande Dames.

By: Debbie R

Debbie R — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:26:38 +0000

I admit I have used landscape fabric in the past and stopped because, as you mentioned, the weeds just start to grow in between the mulch and the fabric. And once they do that they are so much more difficult to remove. Just like Monica the Garden Faerie, I now put down layers of newspaper and then add mulch. I find 4 - 5 layers of regular newsprint, not the paper with colorful ads, works perfectly. Debbie R’s last blog post..Welcome To My Test Garden

By: Monica the Garden Faerie

Monica the Garden Faerie — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:24:51 +0000

I used landscape fabric only once, for a client who insisted. I didn't like it, practically or environmentally. If I have a tough weedy area (oh I have many) I put down several layers of newspaper under the mulch. It helps somewhat and decomposes. I've found pine straw the most effective mulch for stopping weeds, though it isn't readily available in my area. (My mom rakes up all her needles for me.) And it doesn't acidify the soil as much as one reads, so non-acid-loving plants are fine with it. Monica the Garden Faerie’s last blog post..Peonies!

By: Erin

Erin — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:10:55 +0000

I detest landscape fabric and never would have thought of all those good points of it if I hadn't read this. But the bad is so bad. Most annoying is the fact that it always seems to pop out so you can see it! I put down landscape fabric (cheap everyday stuff ... mistake #1) a few years ago under the pea gravel in my circle garden. For the most part that should have been fine: organic material isn't an issue on the paths and I obviously didn't want anything seeding there. But now, of course, dirt has gotten in there, so there oodles of weeds, and even reseeding plants (Jacob's Ladder everywhere, someone remind me to cut the damn flowers off this year before they seed) growing in it. The landscape fabric is actually holding the dirt in now, creating a spot for seeds, mostly of the weed variety, to thrive. I think it's time to pull it out, but I sure wish I hadn't done it in the first place. Do you recommend something else under paths made out of things like rocks? Of course it's probably too late anyway. The pea gravel is there. I replace a little bit of it from time to time as it gets dragged off the path, but there's no way I'd start from scratching on it. Erin’s last blog post..A cool flower