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  • From: Alan Haigh <alandhaigh@gmail.com>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] landscape fabric
  • Date: Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:55:09 -0600

If you use a chain saw with a blindfold on, it can probably lead to
undesirable results. Landscape fabric is a tool that can be used
successfully if you use it properly. I make scores of orchard
installations and manage over 100 orchards on any given season- some I use
newspaper covered with wood chips or mellowed stable waste some I use spun
fabric covered with chips some I use woven fabric either covered or not.
In my peach tree nursery I use woven fabric covered with mulch hay. Been
doing all these things for decades at hundreds of sites and never have I
rued the day that I used any method. Woven fabric has excessively shedded
rain water causing plants to runt out for a spell but that was a situation
where I had to modify my methods- not rue the day I used it.

I'm in southeastern NY, and I wouldn't be surprised if the more aggressive
sods down south require more attention to avoid getting fabric overly
tangled with weeds. It may be that the fabrics aren't so useful down there
because you have to lift them 2 or 3 times a season and re-mulch- I don't
know. I can't accurately talk about what will work for other people at
other sites but generally if I have a tough sod in a rather neglected site
I'll run with chips over landscape fabric because in the long term it means
less maintenance- not more.

Not all spun fabrics are the same and if you buy your supplies at Home
Depot I can only wish you good luck. Woven fabrics seem to be pretty
standard and are much stronger than the best spun ones.



  • [NAFEX] landscape fabric, Alan Haigh, 11/12/2011

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