Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Landscaping Fabric
Landscaping fabric is considered part of our mulch layer because it's often placed on the
soil under various mulch types in order to help control weeds. The cheap stuff doesn't work
very well, but thicker fabric can work for awhile before weeds start to find their way
through the cracks or just start growing on top.
Unfortunately, that thick landscaping fabric can also stop water from getting down to the
soil, especially on a slope where the water just slides down the fabric to the bottom of the
hill. It doesn't take long for the landscape to show signs of suffering in this case. But the
biggest problem with this fabric is that it doesn't allow organic matter to recycle into the
soil. When you put landscaping fabric on your garden, it means your soil doesn't get to eat
anymore. This is definitely not an appropriate mulch, except under pathways and patios.
As we've seen, soil needs to be consistently replenished with organic matter, so any of
the mulch types we choose have to be composed of organic matter. Soil is replenished in
nature and in our gardens when leaves fall to the ground. Since many of our gardens are
low in organic matter anyway, it also happens when we intentionally bring in more leaves,
straw, compost and other organic matter to improve the soil.
Putting landscaping fabric in the garden stops all of this and slowly kills the fertility and
structure of the soil, and everything living in it. In fact, you should take it out if there's
some in your garden. I've done that for many of my clients.
