mystreba
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 6, 2010
- Threads
- 29
- Messages
- 426
This question was raised in another thread about mulching, but it seems important enough to warrant a separate thread. In fact I know it is - because I spent FOUR HOURS this morning tearing out the vile stuff, and it was back-breaking, exhausting work!
If you're going to use fabric around plantings, take my advice and ONLY use it for beds where you have shrubs and trees. Even then, leave a wide berth around each shrub/tree to allow it to breathe, get moisture and expand.
Don't use fabric for perennial beds. You'll suffocate and constrict your plantings.
Two years ago I planted a 40' bed in the front yard (azaleas, hostas, euonymous, japonica, black-eyed susans and ornamental grasses). I spent a small fortune on landscaper-quality, 25-year fabric to cover the entire bed, with cutouts for the plantings. THAT'S what I ripped out this morning, nearly decimating all the expensive plants I'd installed. There are a bunch of problems with this stuff. First, it suffocates the plants - they need air around the soil. Second, it constricts them so they can't branch out and expand/grow. Third, even with the expensive stuff the weeds and plants still grow through the fabric. Granted, there are fewer weeds. But all my expensive plantings began to grow into the fabric - and it's not good growth since the roots are so constricted near the surface. And so it became impossible to cut the fabric back or remove it without extensive damage to the plants.
I would only use this stuff in two ways. First, under large expanses of mulch, but not anywhere near plants. Second, under beds/paths of gravel or other crushed stone.
If you're going to use fabric around plantings, take my advice and ONLY use it for beds where you have shrubs and trees. Even then, leave a wide berth around each shrub/tree to allow it to breathe, get moisture and expand.
Don't use fabric for perennial beds. You'll suffocate and constrict your plantings.
Two years ago I planted a 40' bed in the front yard (azaleas, hostas, euonymous, japonica, black-eyed susans and ornamental grasses). I spent a small fortune on landscaper-quality, 25-year fabric to cover the entire bed, with cutouts for the plantings. THAT'S what I ripped out this morning, nearly decimating all the expensive plants I'd installed. There are a bunch of problems with this stuff. First, it suffocates the plants - they need air around the soil. Second, it constricts them so they can't branch out and expand/grow. Third, even with the expensive stuff the weeds and plants still grow through the fabric. Granted, there are fewer weeds. But all my expensive plantings began to grow into the fabric - and it's not good growth since the roots are so constricted near the surface. And so it became impossible to cut the fabric back or remove it without extensive damage to the plants.
I would only use this stuff in two ways. First, under large expanses of mulch, but not anywhere near plants. Second, under beds/paths of gravel or other crushed stone.