I have advice on how to save money on your next landscaping project. It will also save time and management costs: no plastic is used. This includes hard plastic film and so-called weed-resistant “fabrics”. These things are being promoted to help keep weeds at bay. The problem is that they don’t work very well, waste money and create unnecessary problems.
Proponents say plastic sheeting under mulch blocks sunlight from reaching weed seeds, preventing them from sprouting. But natural mulch can also be beneficial when used correctly. Proponents also say that plastics can retain moisture in the soil and reduce the need for harsh chemicals to control weeds. Of course we don’t recommend toxic products at all, natural mulches do the same thing at a much lower cost.
Plastic film has a number of disadvantages. In addition to raising soil temperatures and disrupting the proper exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, the plastic cloth gets in the way every time a new plant is added and becomes even more useless due to the holes.
Natural organic fertilizers, additives, and mulch cannot reach the ground to nourish the soil and work wonders. Plastic restricts the movement of soil organisms such as earthworms, insects, beneficial bacteria and fungi through different soil layers. Over time, the soil beneath the plastic loses its breathability, depriving plant roots of air and, in some cases, water.
When it comes to plants, plastic sheeting is a waste of money, but the biggest downside is that plastic sheeting or cloth can damage the most important part of the soil – the surface. The soil surface should be where the most important things happen. The surface of the soil, just below the natural cover, is a place where ideal temperature, ideal moisture content, ideal fertility and ideal balance of beneficial biological activity reign – or should be. If there was a piece of plastic in this space, all of these ideal conditions of equilibrium would be disturbed or damaged.
Is there a good use for plastic landscape fabric? Yes. It is an effective tool for use under gravel on commercial plots without vegetation, including next to trees.
what to do? lid! Natural mulch blocks the sunlight that weeds need to germinate and grow. Just don’t throw it on the stem of the plant. A natural pre-emergence herbicide, corn gluten meal, used after a new bed is ready, goes a long way in preventing weed seed germination. If you decide to use some kind of “blocking material” under the mulch, try paper or cardboard. You don’t have to worry about cleaning up as the paper will dissolve safely into the soil.
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Post time: May-03-2023