Sustainable designer, Daryl Lindsey (@yardfarmer.co), found out the hard way about what materials are best for garden beds. Daryl used this video to share the mistake she made when designing her garden in 2018.
Daryl regrets using gravel on all the pathways since "it smothers the soil underneath" and doesn't have any eco benefits.
"Yeah, it's a constant struggle if you do gravel," wrote one commenter.
Instead, Daryl recommends using stepping stones with living mulch around them to suppress other weeds. In the video, she praises using clover for its "nitrogen fixing" or nutrient-pumping ability.
She also emphasizes how "It's important to have living roots in your soil at any given time." They attract the beneficial fungi and bacteria the soil needs for optimal health. So if you're growing produce that will die off seasonally, groundcover is one way to keep something living.
In the comment section, Daryl also advised against using landscape fabric. Despite the myth that this material permanently deters weeds, it's just that — a myth.
Save $10,000 on solar panels without even sharing your phone number Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation. To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner. |
"Weeds WILL sprout, landscape fabric or no landscape fabric," Daryl wrote.
Other professional landscapers agree. Thus, buying and using this material is a waste of time and money. When you use mulch on top of it, you're also wasting the mulch since its nutrients can't get through the fabric.
|
What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Mowing the lawn 🏡 Do you know what else can't get through the fabric? Water, air, and microorganisms like earthworms that aerate the soil and prevent compaction. Plus, that fabric will leach microplastics that linger in the soil even after removal, which is difficult to do if roots become entangled.
Anyone considering using landscape fabric should consider the recommendations from the video, such as using a natural mulch like groundcover to smother weeds. Groundcover also prevents erosion.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
Whether one used landscape fabric or "made the pebble pathway mistake a year ago," like one commenter, as Daryl shows, it's not too late to rewild a yard.
When you upgrade to a natural lawn and garden, grow food that's safe to eat due to the lack of toxins. Enjoy pollinators essential to the food chain using it as a haven for foraging and nesting. Native plants produce oxygen and soak up carbon from the environment while conserving water use. Check the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for native options like flowers, buffalo grass, trees, and xeriscaping in drier climates.
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.
