When it hit the market a few years back, it was hailed by some professionals as one of the best new gardening "tools" ever invented. It was to be the ultimate solution to problems posed by plastic mulches; it would take care of our weeds forever.
Landscape fabric.Well, it wasn't and it didn't.
But it does have a place in the garden. And the best way to discover its strengths - and weaknesses - is to test its applications in your own landscape.
Landscape fabrics - several types are available now - are really no more earth-friendly than plastics. Both are made from petroleum products, and both will last for several growing seasons if they're taken care of.
Fabrics, however, are kinder to plants than plastic mulches. They're woven or spun-bonded, so they "breathe." Plant roots get the benefits of natural rainfall and air exchange; not so with plastic.
Also, the soil doesn't stay quite as soggy under fabric. That helps reduce some types of root rots and plant diseases.
The most appropriate use of landscape fabrics is under permanent plantings such as trees and shrubs. Laid over the surface of well-prepared soil after all the plants are in place, fabric can help control weeds for years.
Annual weeds are more easily discouraged than perennial weeds, some of which are persistent enough to gradually work their way through the weave of the fabric.
Most gardeners cover landscape fabric with a layer of shredded bark or other organic material to improve the appearance of shrub beds.
Stay alert, though. As organic mulch decays, weed seeds start to germinate in the soft fertile humus. Hair-like feeder roots penetrate the fibers and hang on tight.
Once weeds take root, hand pulling is an exercise in frustration. The fabric pulls away from the soil and it's difficult to settle back into place without bumps or wrinkles.
To avoid the problem, spread the organic mulch layer no more than an inch deep. Remove and replace it often, before it breaks down.
It may be a judgment call, but I don't like the look of landscape fabric on slopes. Bark mulch continuously slides off, exposing the fabric in patches. Unless the bank is frequently groomed, the planting looks sloppy, almost forlorn.
Under ordinary circumstances, landscape fabrics are not great under annual or perennial flowers, either. Many openings have to be cut to set the plants; weeds find multiple opportunities to sprout. Here again, hand pulling dislodges the fabric.
Also, annuals don't usually spread as far or fill in as completely with fabric mulch as they do with organic mulches. And don't even try to divide perennials without removing the fabric first.
For the same reasons, landscape fabric is not recommended for many kinds of groundcover. It works pretty well with creeping junipers, which spread out from a main trunk. But plants like pachysandra and myrtle, which root along their stems, need exposed soil.
Landscape fabric has many applications in the vegetable garden. Because it's black (some brands are gray or dark brown), it gently warms the soil. I put it down a week or two before planting tomatoes to reduce transplant shock; pea seeds germinate more quickly.
Through slits in the fabric I stuff transplants of heat-loving crops such as cucumbers and sweet potatoes. Never have my raised beds produced tubers comparable to those tucked under the fabric. One-pounders are common; in a good season a few will weigh in at two.
One tip about landscape fabric: anchor it firmly. Bricks, stones and soil keep the edges from flapping and tearing the little transplants from their moorings.
At the end of the summer, just fold up the sheets of fabric and store them in a dry place.