One TikToker was left tired and weary after dealing with a decades-old landscaping mistake.
Ariella Monti (@ariella_monti) described a deeply challenging issue with landscaping fabric that she encountered in her garden.
@ariella_monti I'm convinced that Boomer-era landscaping trends prioritized homogeneity by making it hard AF to make any changes.
♬ Funny - Gold-Tiger
In the TikTok, she says she had spent the last four years pulling up 30-year-old fabric in order to plant native species in her front yard.
"I think I finally got enough of it that I can finally start planting some native plants without having to dig a big hole," Ariella says after some hard work.
Landscaping fabric is a scourge for many gardeners. While some try using it to stop the spread of weeds, the weeds usually just grow into the fabric, making them even harder to remove. This can become even more cumbersome when trees get caught up in the landscaping fabric.
There are loads of other downsides besides the inconvenience of removal. The barrier prevents the movement of beneficial bacteria and insect life, which has a negative impact on plant life that depends on it. These sheets will also introduce microplastics into your soil, which is bad news if you plan on eating anything you're growing.
Solutions are available, though. Natural alternatives to weed control include the strategic use of flagstone and a combination of cardboard and mulch.
There are changes you can make to what you're planting, which can avoid the need for landscaping fabric. While landscaping fabric tries to conserve water, native plants aren't as dependent on watering as others. Landscaping fabric also attempts to prevent soil erosion, but native plants can help on that front, too.
Native plants have the added bonus of building a great ecosystem for pollinators, which are vital for our food supply.
TikTok commenters were entirely on Ariella's side in her epic struggle and shared her pain.
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If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Making it look better 🌱 "A previous owner of my house covered the entire yard with visqueen and fill dirt," commiserated one community member. "Now the yard doesn't drain. Good times."
"Our garden beds had landscaping fabric and ROCKS," said another. "Just… why??!?!?"
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