I hear you on the prep work—my back still remembers hauling those limestone blocks. I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical about landscape fabric too. We tried it under our raised beds and, yeah, a few weeds still found their way through. Honestly, the only thing that really worked for us was layering cardboard underneath before adding mulch. It’s not perfect, but it slowed the weeds way down. Yard work is never-ending, but seeing progress makes it worth it... most days, anyway.
Cardboard under mulch, huh? I’ve heard mixed things about that—does it ever get soggy or break down too fast? I’m always a bit wary of anything that might attract bugs or just turn into a mess after a season. We tried landscape fabric once and honestly, it felt like a waste of money. Have you noticed any issues with drainage or roots getting stuck? Sometimes I wonder if just pulling weeds by hand is less hassle in the long run...
Digging Up The Backyard: Found More Than Just Dirt
I get where you’re coming from—landscape fabric never really worked for me either. It always seemed to bunch up or get torn, and weeds still found a way through the seams. With cardboard, I’ve noticed it does break down faster than fabric, but that’s kind of the point, right? It’s supposed to decompose and feed the soil, but I do wonder about the timing. If it goes too quickly, you’re back to square one with weeds. Too slow, and maybe it messes with drainage or root growth.
I haven’t seen major drainage issues, but I do question whether it’s the best solution for every yard. Sometimes the cardboard gets soggy and attracts pill bugs, but I haven’t had a real pest problem. Hand-pulling weeds is satisfying in a weird way, but it’s a lot of work if you’ve got a big space. I guess it comes down to how much time you want to spend maintaining things versus setting up a system that (hopefully) works for a season or two. Maybe there’s a middle ground—like using cardboard in some spots and just mulching or hand-pulling in others?
Hand-pulling weeds is satisfying in a weird way, but it’s a lot of work if you’ve got a big space.
Yeah, that "satisfying" part wears off pretty quick when your back starts complaining. I’ve tried both landscape fabric and cardboard too—honestly, neither one’s perfect. Cardboard definitely breaks down too fast for my taste, especially if you get a rainy spell. But I’m with you on mixing it up. Sometimes just plain old mulch and some elbow grease is the least headache in the long run. Weird how there’s never a true set-it-and-forget-it fix in the yard...
I hear you on the mulch—sometimes simple just works better, even if it’s not perfect. I’ve always wondered if anyone’s had luck with those living ground covers instead of mulch or fabric? Seems like they’d be less hassle, but maybe that’s wishful thinking...