The Pros and Cons of using Weed Control Fabric (Landscape Fabric)

This video is the Pros and Cons of using weed control fabric. Weed control fabric only temporarily reduces the number of weeds. It prevents soil improvement and keeps the soil to wet. It is useful when making decorative stone paths.

30 Allen Rd. Clayton, NC 27520

[Max-hqjm]

Jim, thank you for doing this video. I moved into a 35 year old home where the previous owners put landscape fabric around EVERYTHING. The mature trees are suffering because they had 30+ years of oxygen-depriving landscape fabric covering their roots. I am now tasked with the removal of this, and it is impossible! The voles have used it as a ceiling for their homes. And, just as you said, it stopped weed control about 25 years ago. I have established beds of weeds on top of this fabric. Before purchasing, please consider Jim's list of pros & cons and think long term how bad it is for soil building. Oh, and it doesn't break down. I have 30 year old sheets of this junk that only have small holes because weed roots grew through it.

[gailchauncey]

You are the best. No drinking coffee and eating donuts while you talk. Just the facts. Very professional . Much appreciated 👏🏾

[vicmurai]

Hi Jim. I have been an avid gardener for many years without ever using landscape fabric. Recently, I had watched several videos on the use of this fabric and it seemed a real benefit to mitigating the weed problem. After watching this video, I don't think that I will be utilizing it. In he long run, it probably won't save any more time in weeding the garden; in fact, it may take more time overall. Thanks so much for giving the viewer the pros & cons of the landscaping fabric.

[padraics]

It's great to use in places you never intend to plant anything. I use in some areas where I have only mulch and no plants, and use the highest grade, as I'll be 80 years old by the time it starts tearing up like the stuff your showing. Also good under pavers as I bought a house with a ton of pavers and Bermuda peeping up through every crack. Threw down a layer of the "30 year fabric" and put pavers back over. Not a single penetration in years. It does hold water and prevent airflow like you mentioned though. Cardboard is the best in a bed with plants!

[ringoj]

Thanks for the video. After nearly 60 years of living, I have found the American dream of a house with a white picket fence and nice yard has ultimately turned out to be a pain in the ass. The original home cost is one thing, but cost (in money and time) of its maintenance and upkeep is whole other horse. Weeds in flower beds is just one of the ongoing pains. For low-maintenance reasons, 10 years ago I put down weed block fabric in my flower beds with 3" of gravel on top. Starting at about year one I still had weeds around the parameter edges. At about year two, I began to get weeds growing in the gravel. By year three, a few tough weeds were growing up through the fabric and gravel. And by year four, the fabric was literally deteriorating in the Florida heat and weeds were growing at-will. I found that if I spot sprayed weed killer the chemicals leeched over and killed bushes and flowers; so I have been stuck with either hand pulling the weeds or having to remove all the rocks and replace the weed fabric to get another few years of low-weed-deterence... because I tell you there is no such thing as completely weed free. In another section of flowerbeds I tried the paper/cardboard and even used bed sheets which neither method was much better. Because of this weeds-in-the-flowerbed dilemma, I make it a point to look at what some other home owners are doing. The only weed-free solution that I see are homes were the owners decided to just forget any and all bushes/shrubs/flowers. Yes, I know, a plant-less home looks a bit drab in decor but they also still look neat and a lot more maintenance free. I assume those owners put down plastic or use a liberal amount of herbicides (which I'm not crazy about). So at my age the days of crawling around my flowerbeds in the heat and bugs pulling weeds is much less attractive. And I am sick of the idea of having to once again rip out my flowerbeds and throw more money down on the ground to fight the weeds. Lastly, I am still trying to come to grips with the idea of a home with no flowers or bushes... after all that is a part of the American dream. The only other solution I can conceive is using large clay pots... VERY COSTLY.

[tomgill]

I totally agree with your comments.
I used fabric when I converted lawn to garden bed. Worked great for several years until crab grass started seeding itself and it grew down through the fabric. I ended up just breaking the weeds at the bottom of the stems, leaving the root intact. Over next several years had to gradually rip up all the fabric. Never again.

[garyluker]

Thank you for a no nonsense video! Most spend time talking about themselves, you just gave us great information from your personal experiences.

[charlesrussell]

I used weed barrier with pine needle mulch for several years. after 2 or 3 years my garden area started getting saturated with swarms of mosquitos. It became so bad my wife wouldn't venture out into the garden from June to September. One day I accidentally kicked up some mulch and a swarm of mostquitos emerged. I then started checking other areas of the garden and had the same experience, that was mosquitos. After years of adding the pine straw mulch the earliest layers had become a soggy mess of wetness gooey stinking stuff and created a place for the pests to lay their 'demon' eggs. Long story made shorter...after removing all the barriers and laying new mulch my mosquito problem went away. But now I am again cursed with weeds.

[ED---]

Thank you for the video. Long Term, the fabric helps control weeds longer than anything else I used. Weeds are easier to pull out. When not used.. weeks come up withing few weeks. The point is to make them less prone to weeds..and thus require less maintenance.

[paulababb]

As a new gardener, I used the fabric in a rose garden. I was working full time and didn't weed as often as I should have. I spent the next few years getting rid of it and battling rue that had seeded around and through it. Cardboard and or newspapers are a much better alternative and make the worms happy.
Thanks Jim for your great videos

[nerisabryan]

Jim whenever I’m searching for information about a particular plant or anything to do with landscaping I always first search through to see if you have a video posted on the topic. Your videos are very informative. And this one on landscaping fabric is no different. Thank you for validating something that I had heard from other people throughout the years. Which is that newspapers and cardboard are great Weed barriers. In fact I just returned a roll of landscape fabric to Home Depot yesterday. Thank you once again.

[lizzieb]

Great video! I’m right now paying a landscaper to remove ALL that fabric I put down a year ago for all they”cons” you note. I noticed the nasty mildew stench as well and LOTS of weeds

[marywatkins]

I use weed barrier religiously. I use two layers where weeds are particularly troublesome. I cut out portions through the fabric to plant my seedlings. I also use cardboard and burlap as weed barriers, along with mulch. I think the method you choose depends on what you are doing with your beds, and how you maintain them under the barrier. I always dig in well-rotted compost from the pile and other amendments before applying my barrier.

[fitmedestiny]

Thank you! You just saved me the time of laying it down in a flower bed.

[heatherrhoden]

Oh my goodness! I'm a first-time homeowner on half an acre and you just saved me a ton of money I was about to drop for the entire perimeter. And added bonus, now I know what to do with all my Amazon boxes! Win-Win! :)

[Axel-tktk]

Thank you for the video. I have been working landscaping for 4 years and I notice that beds with weed barrier fabric sometimes look worse because people expect far less maintenance. I find mulch alone and maintenance works better, for the price, than adding anything but old newspapers and cardboard.

[conniestanzak]

I enjoyed Jim’s “pros and cons” presentation. I have used weed control carpets for years and have found it to be as advertised: it controls weeds. I disagree about the expense. I guess I’ve been using really inexpensive fabric because compared to the outrageous prices one sometimes pays for individual annuals I think the cost of the fabric is minimal. He also spoke of actually pulling weeds when and if they do come up and I don’t think he explained how easy weeds do come up.
But again, I really enjoyed Jim’s presentation and will be watching for more landscaping tips!

[thomasmcdowell]

This was an eye opener for me as I was just about to buy a weed barrier for a landscape job at my house. Your videos are informative and very well done. I learn something from every one that I have watched.

[castleofcostamesa]

Thank you for saving me from using landscape fabric in my organic vegetable garden! I appreciate it! Love from Southern California!

[BleuTracer]

Well, I have many years experience with all three methods and there are advantages to each and all three have a benefit in certain circumstances. Very easy to move plants around when there is no weed barrier and with that comes pulling more weeds that may or may not be more difficult to remove. Cardboard is a good short term option, because it breaks down as well as reduces the difficulty of pulling weeds and also germinating weed seeds. I have tried several landscape fabrics and prefer a very thick, dense fabric that does not allow weeds to grow through it. It’s easy to cut through and make small or large holes if you decide you want to move things around. When the fabric is in a sunny area I’ve never experienced a nasty smell on the ground associated with removing the black fabric. So, most of my areas in full sun have heavy duty landscape fabric and shade areas do not, as I prefer to plant moss or ground covers. I mulch most everything with pine bark nuggets, because I like the look and it’s easy on the hands. Cypress mulch tends to contain lots of stinkhorn mushroom spores (the stench from these mushrooms is horrific and ruins the garden experience until they are removed) in my southern location, and many more slivers. Cypress mulch also explodes with spores that drop on and attach to vinyl siding and vehicles, leaving tiny black specs on everything that are extremely difficult to remove. I have used pine straw extensively as well, and the downside for me was walking on it and how slippery it can become, especially on a slope. I hope that helps. Happy gardening!