Experienced gardeners can be an invaluable resource. It's a good thing many new green thumbs turn to these comrades for advice.
On Reddit, there are countless communities where such conversations, started by DIYers, are routine.
"Building a cottage style garden," one such poster wrote in r/gardening. "Should I use weed fabric?"
They said they were just about done "resetting the garden border stones" and shared a photograph of what looked like thick gray plastic running along the side of a house.
The Texan added that they were going to plant native perennials to attract bees and butterflies but were "second guessing using the barrier," which they had employed in the past, in hopes of developing a fuller garden.
"If you need a weed barrier, just lay down some cardboard. You will regret using landscaping fabric," one commenter said. "You'll still get weeds, but instead of being able to pull them up, their roots will get woven into the landscape fabric so you'll be dealing with a weed carpet that will have you cursing your past self for using the landscaping fabric."
Another user wrote, "You gonna get weeds regardless from birds [pooping] and from wind."
These replies typified the informative responses found on the social media platform. Whether it goes by weed fabric, weed barrier, or landscaping fabric, the plastic-based textile does more harm than good. It may work in the short term, but natural processes take over sooner than later.
If weeds don't grow atop or up through whatever material is used, the barrier has an even better chance of inhibiting the exchange of water, nutrients, and gases at the surface of your garden. Soil needs all these things to thrive, and plastic also compacts the substance, making matters worse over time, according to Wellfield Botanic Gardens in Elkhart, Indiana.
🗣️ 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
Finally, at the end of its lifespan, the fabric shreds into microplastics, further damaging the soil, which can be especially problematic if you're growing your own food. Even if you're not, the tiny particles — less than 5 millimeters long — can enter your water supply or be carried away to contaminate another environment.
When gardening, it's best to keep things natural. That means controlling weeds and pests without chemicals, using organic fertilizer, composting, and mulching, as the poster noted. With a bundle of helpful tips, they were well on their way.
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