5 Reasons Why Landscape Fabric Is Worth Every Penny

1. Landscape Fabric Can Lessen Erosion

One of the most valuable benefits of landscape fabric is its ability to control erosion. Erosion control fabric can help maintain stability on hillsides, preventing soil from sliding during heavy rains. Using a nonwoven permeable fabric underneath a layer of soil or aggregate typically yields the best results — water flows through the fabric while it holds your hillside and vegetation firmly in place.

Areas with heavy rainfall or newly constructed slopes are particularly susceptible to erosion. Installing fabric mitigates these risks and, by keeping soil in place, also defends your garden from nutrient depletion. Water erosion can wash away critical nutrients and fertilizer, and landscape fabric prevents this loss. It also reduces the risk of pesticides washing into sensitive areas near your garden.

Sources: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; SF Gate

2. Landscape Fabric Helps Control Weeds

Weeds compete with your plants for nutrients, space, and sunlight — ultimately preventing the development of flowers and fruits. Rather than constantly monitoring your garden for unwanted growth, landscape fabric helps prevent weeds from establishing in the first place.

Many invasive species like horsetail weed grow from broken or damaged stems and roots, making them difficult to eradicate once established. Weed prevention fabric provides a physical separation layer — acting as a barrier that prevents weed seeds from reaching soil and accessing the sunlight they need to germinate.

How does landscape weed barrier fabric work?

Weed block fabric (also called a weed tarp) creates a physical separation layer between the soil surface and the air above. It won't prevent 100% of weeds — some may grow through planting holes, or seeds may germinate in soil deposited on top of the fabric by wind or birds. However, it dramatically reduces the quantity and stature of new weeds establishing in your garden.

3. Landscape Fabric Is Essential for Xeriscaping

Xeriscaping — a style of landscaping that significantly reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation — is growing in popularity across the country, particularly in drought-prone regions. It allows homeowners to maintain a beautiful yard while dramatically cutting water consumption and environmental impact.

Using strong, breathable, permeable landscape fabric is especially important in xeriscapes. Since the amount of water used is reduced, soil is more vulnerable to rising temperatures that predispose roots to heat stress. Fabric moderates soil temperature and maintains moisture while still permitting the drainage that xeriscape planting schemes rely on.

Source: National Geographic

If you are interested in xeriscaping or creating a stabilized gravel path or driveway with fabric underneath, read our full guide on how best to use landscape fabric under gravel here.

4. Landscape Fabric Is an Economic Alternative to Herbicide

The use of landscape fabric in your home garden is a genuine money-saver. Chemical herbicides can be effective, but many gardeners are looking for more natural, less toxic solutions that don't risk contaminating water resources or harming soil biology.

The financial case is compelling: a homeowner would pay an average gardener between $120–$150 for a single weed removal service at a typical rate of $30 per hour. That doesn't include the cost of herbicide application. American farmers have paid an estimated $56 million in herbicide costs for soybean crops alone — approximately $35 per acre. Whether farmer or home gardener, an individual could face hundreds of dollars annually in herbicide costs.

Landscape fabric, installed correctly, delivers years of weed suppression for a one-time investment — at a fraction of the ongoing cost of chemical alternatives.

Sources: IntechOpen; Fixr; University of Nebraska-Lincoln

5. Landscape Fabric and Mulch Are a Dynamic Duo

Combining mulch with landscape fabric is one of the most effective combinations in home gardening. The two work together to insulate soil, shield it from weeds and weather, and enhance the nutritional benefits of mulch decomposition.

As organic mulch breaks down, it provides nourishment to plants through beneficial organic matter. The landscape fabric works alongside decomposing mulch by keeping these nutrients in place — defending against erosion and maintaining a suitable microclimate for the microorganisms that make healthy soil:

• Nitrifying bacteria convert ammonia into nitrate, a critical compound for protein synthesis in plants
• Mycorrhizal fungi increase resistance to water stress, support water intake, assist nutrient uptake, and support disease resistance

Sources: Biology Online; BBC; University of Nevada

Landscape fabric also helps with inorganic mulches. If inorganic mulch materials break down over time, the fabric positioned underneath prevents harmful materials from leaching into the soil.

Landscape Fabric and Frost Protection

Beyond weed and erosion control, landscape fabric technology extends to frost protection. Our frost blanket fabric helps extend the harvest season and flowering season by keeping the air beneath it warmer than the ambient temperature. Our freeze cloth for plants is available in various roll sizes to suit any application.

Frequently Asked Questions