A homeowner took to Reddit asking for advice on how to handle their yard, which has been a constant battle and has them seeking outside assistance.
Posting in the r/landscaping subreddit, they explained they've been fighting a three-year-long battle with weeds in their front yard and that no amount of weed whacking, trimming, or putting down cardboard seems to help. They say their yard is mostly dirt, weedy lawn, and some of their own plants, so they want to enlist the help of landscapers.
Those landscapers gave the poster a quote of $1,000 to hoe out all of the weeds and roots, put down landscaping fabric, and mulch around their plants to protect them.
"I've basically only read bad things about landscaping fabric but am at my wits end and just want my yard to look nice, but I also don't want this decision to bite me back in a couple of years," they said.
Landscaping fabric has become a hot-button issue in the lawn community in recent years. While it remains a popular way to control weeds and protect plants, its effectiveness at both of those things has been questioned repeatedly. On top of that, because it's made from plastic polymers, it doesn't degrade into its base elements over time but does begin to break down into microplastics, which can pollute the soil.
If that wasn't enough, landscaping fabric becomes an active hassle to try to remove as it ages, as it often breaks down into impossible-to-handle strands of material that can cause you nothing but headaches.
Commenters were quick to say the fabric was a bad idea.
"Landscape cloth really is a total waste of money and effort," one said, "Some people come on here and want a set it and forget solution for a living system. It takes work, but as you get the weeds and the remaining seed bank reduced and get the plants filling in, and improve the soil, it will get easier and easier."
"Landscape fabrics is NEVER the right choice for anything," another said.
"Landscape fabric does the same thing as cardboard," a third said. "Except it doesn't break down, and when weeds grow again you have to rip out the entire thing. It's making a huge extra job for yourself. Identify your weeds and either pull them or poison them, depending on what they are."
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Mowing the lawn 🏡 
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
