Lay fabric under mulch?

Question

I plan to lay a mulch border around my backyard. I will spray down weed and grass killer first on the area I plan to border off with mulch. I know that its recommended that a fabric be laid down under the mulch. That's not a problem. Will grass grow through the mulch without the fabric even after grass killer has been applied?

Does fabric really work? Should I bother?
Or does a thicker mat of mulch work better
without the fabric?

I have read elsewhere that newspapers under mulch is a better alternative to landscape fabric. Has anyone tried this and found it effective in preventing grass and weed from coming back? This makes me wonder if grass and weed killing liquid is even worth applying?

Thanks for the helpful comments. I live in British Columbia and its wet most of the year. I have decided not to use wood mulch now because of the possibility of attracting termites. Is gravel the solution? Can I lay gravel just over soil?

Answer 1

I would strongly suggest that you avoid the fabric if you or anyone else might want to plant something in the border. Also, in my experience, grass and weeds always manage to work their way in and around the fabric, forming a nasty and difficult web.

If you lay a thick enough mulch, (you didn't say what kind of mulch...do you mean bark mulch? compost mulch? stone mulch? ), you will eliminate your weed problem. Also you don't say what your climate is...and that will make a difference. You will want to turn the mulch once in awhile if it is bark mulch.

I am an organic gardener, so I will just give you a heads up that you do not need to use chemicals to remove weeds and grass. If you are planning on planting things in the border, I would suggest you remove the top layer of sod/weeds with mechanical means, lightly turn the soil with a spade, add compost, and then put down a mulch of compost or shredded bark, (depending on what you are growing in the border).

If it is just a decorative mulch border and you lay it thick,(3 or 4 inches), you shouldn't have problems with weeds without a landscape cloth. Paths and walkways are the only places I would put fabric, and even then...it can be a real problem later on. I spent hours last year removing the nasty fabric lined path surrounding a client's vegetable garden, (weeds and grass both invaded it).

Answer 2

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RE:
Lay fabric under mulch?
I plan to lay a mulch border around my backyard. I will spray down weed and grass killer first on the area I plan to border off with mulch. I know that its recommended that a fabric be laid down under the mulch. That's not a problem. Will grass grow through the mulch without the fabric even...

Answer 3

I have tried both methods. Over the course of a year or two weeds eventually start to grow if you don't use the fabric. I have had to redo areas where I neglected to use the fabric and that is sooo much more work than using the fabric initially. I believe you will be glad that you used the fabric initially.

Answer 4

did landscaping last year went to home depot bought landscaping fabric works good still have a few weed but nothing like i would have with out fabric. it will save you a lot of weeding i spot spray the few weeds with round up.
going to do the front of house this year WILL USE SAME FABRIC

Answer 5

It usually doesn't grow thru the fabric except where is has been seamed together..............it does however still grow in the mulch it's self