One home gardener recently turned to the r/landscaping subreddit for some advice and may have ended up with a bit more than they wanted.
"How to install landscaping fabric around the tree?" the poster asked. "As title says, should I install the fabric just in the front and leave the trees uncovered?"
As the poster was swiftly and unequivocally informed, the best way to install landscaping fabric around a tree is to not do it at all. Landscaping fabric is marketed as a method of preventing weed growth but actually does not do that and instead causes many more problems than it solves.
"Landscape fabric is a waste of time and money," one commenter wrote. "It will not stop weeds or other unwanted growth, so you're better off with just straight mulch."
Despite the name, landscape fabric is typically made out of plastic — not exactly what you want to be feeding your garden, as it sheds microplastics over time, releasing chemicals into the soil.
"Don't bother with landscape fabric. It degrades quickly, doesn't stop weeds for long, and releases microplastics into the environment," another commenter chimed in. "Use mulch, 2-4 inches, and don't mulch the tree trunk. The mulch will slowly feed the soil and the tree, and slow weeds down."
Someone else added: "Don't forget it's a pain in the ass for whoever has to pull it up next. Doesn't degrade uniformly."
Indeed, the internet is full of stories of new homeowners who came across the landscaping fabric left by previous tenants and had an absolutely terrible time dealing with it.
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Fortunately for the original poster, it seems that they may have gotten the advice they needed before the big mistake was made. Though they may have already wasted some money on the product, if they managed to avoid actually placing it around the tree, they likely saved themselves (or whomever they sell the house to in the future) a big headache and created a healthier garden at the same time.
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