A new homeowner, excited about planting a garden in their new yard, was dismayed to find that the previous owners had used thick, plant-smothering and in every flower bed.
They in the subreddit to ask for advice on removing the aggravating materials. “Would it be a bad idea to remove the barriers?” they . “I’m pulling weeds anyway, they’re just on top of the barrier so I feel like they aren’t doing much already?”
Commenters were unanimous in their advice. “Remove it all now before it starts to break down and become[s] a nightmare to remove later,” one .
“Removing the fabric is better,” another . “It deteriorates starting in 2 or 3 years and becomes very difficult to remove then as it is in shreds. It also doesn’t block weeds but it does make removing weeds more difficult since weed roots wind in and out of the fabric.”
One commenter had inherited a similarly nightmarish situation.
“Remove it NOW,” they . “I did yard work where the previous owner had put that garbage down about five years prior. The not only prevented plants from rooting properly, but it had partially disintegrated so I couldn’t even rip it up in one piece. And when I did rip it up over the course of a few days, the entire yard came with it. … Landscaping can become a nightmare.”
Not only is plastic sheeting and thick fabric a hassle for gardeners, it’s also to the entire local ecosystem. By preventing plants from growing, these materials deprive local of habitat and food sources — which, in turn, affects the human food chain since are responsible for of the food we eat.
Plastic is also known to leach into soil, which can harm both the plants that grow there and the animals — and people — who .
🗣️ Which of these benefits is your biggest motivation in gardening?
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Fortunately, for gardeners looking to their yards, there are many , soil-safe and methods for managing weeds. From pulling them up by the roots to a natural , it’s possible to eradicate weeds while leaving room for — or even a — to thrive.
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