04/10/2022
THE MYTH OF LANDSCAPE FABRIC
Should you use it?
For more information, please visit Dr. Chalker-Scottās web page at http://www.theinformedgardener.com.
The Myth
Increased concern over indiscriminate use of herbicides has caused landscape professionals and consumers to look closely at non-chemical alternatives to w**d control. Mulches are increasing in popularity as w**d control strategies and have a number of additional benefits, including water retention and soil protection. Mulches may be organic, inorganic, or synthetic and often can bring an aesthetic quality in tandem with their principal role in plant health maintenance. Synthetic mulches, including
geotextiles, are of interest to many consumers and professionals because they are perceived as nonbiodegradable, permanent solutions to w**d control.
Initially developed for agricultural use, geotextiles have found their way into ornamental installations as landscape fabrics. These fabrics, a vast improvement over the impermeable black plastics still (unfortunately) used for w**d control, are woven in such a way that water and gas exchange can occur but light pe*******on is significantly reduced. Hence, they are effective in reducing w**d seed germination in areas where soil disturbance would otherwise induce germination of a horde of w**ds. Such fabrics have been so effective in reducing w**ds in vegetable and ornamental crop production that they have been applied to more permanent landscape installations.
The Reality
Like the perpetual dieter searching for a permanent weight loss pill, so we as landscape professionals and consumers continue to seek permanent w**d control solutions. Unfortunately, there is no such permanent fix. We must remain āever vigilantā in our battle with w**ds and cannot rely on a product to do this passively. The fact is that w**d control fabrics are not permanent and will decompose, especially when exposed to sunlight. Such fabrics are effective in agricultural situations, in annual planting beds, or where the landscape is regularly disturbed and the fabrics can be replaced when needed. For permanent landscapes, however, they are not a long term solution and in fact can hinder landscape plant health.
Some of the documented drawbacks of these fabrics are listed below.
ā¢ Geotextiles degrade in the landscape in as little as one year if unprotected from sunlight.
ā¢ Any organic matter or soil on top of the fabrics will hasten their colonization by w**ds; this
precludes covering the fabric with anything but inorganic mulch like pebbles. It also requires
continual maintenance to keep the fabric free of debris.
ā¢ Weeds will eventually grow on top of and through these fabrics, making their removal difficult.
ā¢ Landscape plant roots can also colonize fabrics, and they are damaged when the fabrics are removed.
ā¢ The aesthetic quality of landscape fabrics is minimal; it becomes worse as the materials begin to degrade.
The Bottom Line
ā¢ Geotextiles are not effective w**d control solutions for permanent landscapes
ā¢ Landscape fabrics used in permanent landscape installations will eventually become a high maintenance issue in terms of appearance, w**d control, and landscape plant health
ā¢ Organic mulches are preferred alternatives for permanent landscape installations as they can be reapplied throughout the life of the landscape without damaging the existing plantings.
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