Benefits

• Landscape fabric is a woven material that takes as much as five years to decompose, allowing partial weed control during this time. The woven construction allows water and air to pass through the fabric to promote plant growth.
  
  

Disadvantages

• Unfortunately, the woven construction reduces light penetration, preventing sunlight energy from reaching the soil and roots of plants. In addition, excessive sunlight causes speedy breakdown of the fabric.
  
  

Considerations

• For the most effective use of landscape and geotextile fabrics on landscaped gardens, experts at the Puyallup Research and Extension Center recommend using this mulching material in annual gardens where the material can be replaced regularly. The University of Rhode Island and University of California both recommend using organic or rock mulches on top of the landscape fabric to slow deterioration rate and further prevent the growth of weeds.