Expert issues 'do not' warning as popular method could be making weed problem worse
It's that time of year when weeding your garden becomes essential - but what's the best preventative method to stop them coming back?
A gardening expert has revealed the one method that has "no use" and can actually cause lasting damage to greenery. Robert Pavlis - who shared his gardening tips and tricks on YouTube - warned that landscape fabric can just make your weed problem worse.
The method involves placing fabric down to prevent weeds from growing, eventually leading to the roots being destroyed and thus no more weeds.
But Robert warned that while this may seem like a quick fix, it can actually just cause weeds to grow around the fabric or even through it.
He said: "The product simply doesn't stop weeds from growing. It will look good for the first year or two, but after that there will be lots of weeds."
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He added that the fabric can cause damage to other plants, with water unable to penetrate the barrier leading to dry soil.
Robert explained: "It's mostly solid fabric with some small holes. So when it rains, the water lands on it and runs off. Very little of the water goes into the soil. That means the plants under the barrier are dry all the time - that's simply not good for the plants."
Some people opt to cut holes in the fabric to allow plants to grow through the barrier, but Robert warned this will just allow weeds to come back.
He said: "You now have an opening where all the weed seed collects. Once those weeds are there, they are hard to get rid of. And there's no water getting to the plants."
He also explains how getting rid of the fabric barrier can be a lengthy process. "All of your permanent plantings are growing under the plastic and grow into the plastic, it becomes next to impossible to get it out.
"And the only way to get it out, is to rip the roots as you are pulling it out. That's why more experienced gardeners hate this stuff so much. At some point, it has to come out and that's a big job," the gardener said.
But it's not all bad news, as Robert gave an alternative for those looking at using fabric barriers. "If you're trying to keep weeds under control, use a proper mulch in a vegetable garden. I like to use straw."
