A frustrated gardener sought advice on Reddit, asking, "Why didn't the black fabric help with weed control?" above a photo of rampant weeds growing through black landscaping fabric.
The Reddit user attempted to halt weed growth by using landscaping fabric, which blocks sunlight, prohibiting the plants from making their way through. However, many users share the original poster's frustration and find this method ineffective. The fabric may prevent weed growth for a couple of years, but it can eventually cause plant damage, according to the University of Illinois.
Commenters offered several suggestions, including using cardboard, nylon, or plastic instead. However, one said that weeds will also find their way through more durable materials.
"That gauzy fabric stuff is unfortunately pretty worthless," they wrote. They added that the OP could choose a heavier plastic fabric but added: "Even then you'll have weeds in every open crack and crevice. Life uh, finds a way."
"We learned this lesson the hard way the first time we used a fabric," one Redditor said. "Several years later we still find deteriorated pieces in the garden."
This brings up another issue with the material: It's often made of plastic. Eventually, this plastic breaks down into tiny microplastics that make their way into waterways, where they devastate ecosystems and threaten human health.
The most eco- and wallet-friendly solution for a healthy yard is letting go of uniformly green, weed-free grass expectations and "rewilding" your lawn — intentionally restoring it to a more natural state. This is achieved by planting native species, which allows you to water less and skip frequent mowing habits, among other benefits.
Rewilding your lawn makes it more inviting to pollinators, and homeowners can save $225 on water and $100 on fertilizers annually by switching to a natural lawn.
While ditching the crisp, freshly mowed, green grass lawn aesthetic may feel intimidating, even a partial lawn replacement allows homeowners to reap these benefits, and nature can take its course again.
"A few years ago, I tilled up all the grass on our corner lot and spread a bunch of native plant seeds. Our house is now neighborhood famous!" a TCD member commented.
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