Myth 1: You’ll never have to weed your garden again
Landscape fabric offers a great way to slow down the growth of weeds in the garden, which means less time spent trimming, cutting and pulling. However, landscape fabric cannot completely stop weeds from growing. In fact, it is almost impossible to cultivate a permanently weed-free garden, no matter how many preventative measures you put in place.
Seeds are continually dropped into your garden by birds and wind movement, which encourages weeds to return and grow. Weeds also only need a small part of their root to remain in the soil to replenish themselves and start to sprout again. Installing a permeable fabric will keep the ground in great condition and slow down weed growth quite considerably, but there will be some ongoing maintenance work required to remove new weeds that come from seeds dropped by birds or blown in by the wind as and when they appear.
Myth 2: Landscape fabric affects the quality of the soil
Understandably, you may be concerned that laying a fabric on top of the soil could affect its quality over time. However, the material is specifically designed to ensure water, air and nutrients can still reach the soil to keep it in good condition. A geotextile drainage membrane stops light from reaching the soil, which is how weed growth is dramatically reduced, while still enabling the soil underneath to flourish.
Myth 3: Landscape fabric doesn’t really work
Before you invest in a landscape fabric, take some time to ensure the product you purchase is suitable for the project you are working on. Choosing a landscape fabric that isn’t designed for the application at hand will mean you will not see the expected results. For example, Landtex, is designed to suppress weed growth in the garden and if used elsewhere it is less likely to meet your requirements. Drivetex provides the strength and durability needed for driveway installation, but would not be suitable for use under decking or rock gardens.
Myth 4: Landscape fabric is expensive
When you take into account how long it lasts and the long-term weed suppression and ground stabilisation it provides, landscape fabric is one of the most cost-effective methods of weed control and ground stabilisation.The price is based on the square footage required for the project, so once you have measured the dimensions of the area to be covered you can organise your budget. Some products provide fantastic value, with robust drainage membranes designed for use in driveways, such as Drivetex, lasting as long as it remains installed.
Myth 5: Landscape fabric is harmful to the environment
Continually exposing soil to chemical weed killers is not only bad for the garden, but for the environment in general. Using a weed control fabric is deemed to be a better solution as it offers longevity compared to the pollutants found in sprays. Excessive use of weed killer is not only potentially damaging to plants, but also distorts and stunts the growth of fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Myth 6: Landscape fabric is hard to install
Installing landscape fabric may appear to be a difficult task, but most people find the reality to be the complete opposite. With a variety of lengths and widths to suit different applications and simple step-by-step video instructions available for products such as Weedtex, you can have the fabric in place in no time at all. Before installation be sure to carry out adequate ground preparation, such as strimming nearby vegetation and removing any stalks or sharp objects in the soil, as this will make the process much easier to complete.
With over 20 years of experience in the landscape industry, Growtivation understands the needs of landscaping professionals and has concentrated on providing high-performance solutions with our Product That Works range.
Growtivation’s wide range of professional landscaping systems means we have the right solution for all common landscaping problems.
Find out more about the Growtivation Product That Works range by downloading our Product Guide and your free copy of our Landscaping That Works guide to weed control and geotextile fabrics. Our PledgeMark warranty certifies that our products are suitable for their intended use for your peace of mind and quality assurance.
To find out where you can buy Growtivation products visit our online Where to Buy facility or contact the friendly team at Growtivation for advice on 0800 197 8885 or email sales@growtivation.com.