It may be bad under bark dust mulch soil or compost but it works very well under river rock gravel decomposed granite or flagstone.
Using weed mat.
Helps retain soil moisture by reducing evaporation.
And don t do this.
Places where dust and dirt will not find their way between the weed barrier and the surface so weeds can not grow.
Uses for weed control fabric weed control fabric can be used under walking paths and decks.
A weed mat can indeed be useful in many situations but it is not a one size fits all solution by any means.
Use a hoe with a swinging motion bringing the blade down toward the ground and slightly back toward your body striking the ground at approximately a 45 degree angle.
For all that weed cloth does have a use.
Limits the need to use herbicides for weed control.
Whichever you use you just add more as it decays and you see patches of bare soil.
In fact ross nw watergardens typically uses it under these materials.
Now the plastic weed barrier stops the decaying mulch from entering the soil.
Weed control fabric is also great as a cover in the garden if you do not use mulch.
Ideally you ll penetrate the soil deeply enough to get under the roots and lift out the whole weed roots and all.
Prevents weed seeds buried in the soil beneath from sprouting.
Weed seeds blow in the wind and are dropped by birds and other animals.
So if you put dirt or mulch or stone on top of the material weeds will eventually grow in the dirt mulch or stone and will will root into the mat material and pin it down.
Reduce the need for weeding by laying down a weed mat also known as a landscape.
This barrier is made of a porous plastic material that allows water to move down into the soil but prevents new weeds from growing up into the garden.