Ideas for Weed Control in Gardens Using Fabric

Landscape and gardening fabrics are designed to suppress weed growth while allowing water and air to penetrate for plant growth and health. Although landscape fabrics are most often found in landscapes and gardens around commercial buildings, many landscape fabrics are available for home use.

Potted Plants

A round piece of landscaping fabric laid around the base of outdoor potted plants can help reduce weed growth in the pot. The landscape fabric allows air and water to pass through, but it allows very little sun. In addition, the cloth presses down on any particularly hardy weeds, preventing them from growing. Cover the landscape fabric with gravel or bark chips if you dislike the look of the fabric.

Decorative Gardens

Landscape fabric was initially designed for use in decorative landscape gardens. By covering a garden area with landscape fabric and covering the fabric with bark, flower garden and landscape maintenance is reduced because of fewer weeds. It is easy to plant in gardens covered with landscape fabric by simply removing decorative overburden like gravel or bark and cutting a hole in the fabric large enough to dig a hole for the new plant.

Fruit and Vegetable Gardens

Covering the ground around fruit and vegetables has been used to control weeds in Asia for generations. With the advent of landscape fabrics, many of the techniques used in decorative landscapes can be transferred to vegetable gardens. Because aesthetics isn't as important in a vegetable garden, landscaping fabric can be used without covering it with bark or other material. Young seedlings can be planted by simply cutting holes in the fabric.