Moving into a new home can be exciting, but it can also come with the discovery of problems left behind by past occupants.
"What to do with landscaping fabric?" was the title of one gardener's post on the subreddit r/gardening. They explained that, after moving into a new house, they had started clearing out weeds from a flower bed so they could plant some sunflowers. That's when they came across the material layered underneath.
The original poster went on to ask for advice about whether to remove the fabric or plant their seeds through it, ending the post by saying they'd never dealt with the material before. "I'm totally unsure what to do," the OP wrote.
Landscaping fabric is bad news.
It costs a lot to install and often fails at its intended purpose. It's meant to function as a weed barrier, but seeds from weeds dispersed in the air can land on top of it, and their roots can grow down through the fabric.
Landscaping fabric can also ruin the quality of the soil by preventing it from having full access to sunlight and water. If that wasn't enough, this harmful fabric is commonly made from plastic, which leaches microplastics and harmful chemicals into the soil.
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The best thing for this gardener to do would be to remove the fabric before planting any new flowers. Growing native flowers and shrubs can help increase biodiversity while also reducing the costs associated with maintaining ornamental plants and traditional lawns, which guzzle water and often need additional feeding.
There are lots of ways you can make your garden more eco-friendly and save money. Xeriscaping is a landscaping technique that combines native plants with rocks or mulch to create a low-maintenance garden that conserves water. Other options include upgrading to a natural lawn with plants such as clover or buffalo grass. These plants also support local wildlife, like pollinators, by providing food and shelter.
Commenters on this post had a lot of advice to offer. "You'll likely find it's easier to garden once it's removed," wrote one after explaining their experience with the stuff.
"Landscape fabric is worthless. Remove it," added another.
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