Former landscaper issues dire warning about common yard product: 'A total waste of time and money'

As a homeowner with a yard, one of the most annoying things to keep up with is pulling weeds. 

Not only do weeds make a yard look unkempt, but they also compete with native plants for water, sunlight, and nutrients, thereby stunting healthy growth.

This problem leads some homeowners to use landscaping fabric to control weeds. However, one former landscaper with over 15 years of experience warns that this approach will only cause more problems than solutions. 

In a viral Reddit post to r/landscaping, the former landscaper wrote, "Weed fabric is a total waste of time and money." 

The landscaper explained that weeds will continue to grow on top of the fabric even if they don't grow under it. 

"Do yourself a favor, and DON'T invest in this stuff," they wrote. "Best way to deal with weeds is by picking them yourself or paying someone else to."

Lawn experts agree with the OP and have advised people that they will regret using landscaping fabric to control weeds. 

Gardeners, horticulturists, and homeowners have discovered the hard way that the fabric damages tree roots and degrades over time, leaving microplastics behind in the soil to hinder beneficial plant growth. 

Alternatively, they suggest using cardboard to prevent weeds and jute to prevent soil erosion after heavy rains. Rewilding your yard and focusing on native plants designed to grow where you live can save you money and time on lawn maintenance without altering the natural ecosystem. 

What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Mowing the lawn 🏡 Controlling weeds 🌿 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️ I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Many Reddit users agreed with the OP's PSA. They shared stories about their unfortunate experiences using landscaping fabric in the past and offered better suggestions for controlling weeds naturally and sustainably. 

"[Bought] a bunch and used it for 2 years," a Redditor shared. "Over a decade later, I still want to grab that version of me and yell at him. That stuff sucks. Tip: Use cardboard! It will work just as well (meaning for a single year) and then decompose on its own." 

"100% this," another Redditor wrote. "And just adds microplastics to the soil."

A Reddit user commented, "The only people who love this stuff are landscapers who install it for other people and then walk away and never have to deal with it again."

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