The Best Landscape Fabrics for Weed-Free Gardening in 2024
Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about The Best Landscape Fabrics for Weed-Free Gardening in 2024 and hope the blog can help you.
If you’ve got the right planting setup, landscape fabric might be your best bet for holding pesky weeds at bay.
Whether we like it or not, weeds are part of every landscape, competing with your trees, shrubs, and flowers for vital nutrients. Landscape fabric could be your golden ticket to a weed-free landscape.
By acting as a physical barrier between the soil and the sun, landscape fabric prevents seeds from seeing the light of day while still allowing air and water to penetrate to the roots of the plants you do want.
To help bolster our own research, we interviewed Taylor Olberding, co-founder of Heroes Lawn Care, a nationwide lawn maintenance company, to get his professional advice on this useful gardening product.
Our favorite landscape fabric is the Hoople Garden Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric thanks to its thick, nonwoven, and ultraviolet (UV)-stabilized material with a highly permeable weave, which helps promote excellent irrigation.
Here are some important features to consider when selecting the best landscape fabric, as well as our top weed barrier picks for your landscape.
- BEST OVERALL: Hoople Garden Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Petgrow Heavy-Duty Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR WEEDS: DeWitt Pro-5 Weed-Barrier
↓ Jump to Review - BEST AERATION: Amagabeli Garden & Home Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric
↓ Jump to Review - LONGEST LIFESPAN: DeWitt 12-Year Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric
↓ Jump to Review - BEST ECO-FRIENDLY: ECOgardener Premium Weed Barrier
↓ Jump to Review - BEST HEAVY-DUTY: Flarmor Landscape Fabric Weed Barrier
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR SMALL AREAS: Agtek Landscape Fabric Heavy-Duty Ground Cover
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR LARGE AREAS: GDNaid Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR UNDER GRAVEL: ArmorLay Commercial Grade Driveway Fabric
↓ Jump to Review - ALSO CONSIDER: GardenMate Woven Weed Control Fabric
↓ Jump to Review
Before You Buy Landscape Fabric
In vegetable and flower gardens, gardeners frequently move or change plants, and access to the soil is vital to the health of the garden. Landscape fabric laid across the entire area would make amending the soil very difficult, if not impossible.
Instead, consider using it in the vegetable garden for weed suppression between rows. Soil erosion can occur when it’s been covered with landscape fabric and compacts over time as a result of the reduced earthworm population and poor aeration in these areas. Landscape fabric is best used beneath walkways or in areas with permanent trees and shrubs or no future planting plans.
How We Chose the Best Landscape Fabrics
Olberding shares his expertise with using weed barriers: “When it comes to durability, materials like heavy-duty woven fabric or thick plastic are great for withstanding moisture and regular wear and tear, ensuring prolonged protection for your garden beds.”
In terms of sustainability, Olberding adds that “for a more environmentally friendly option, you could consider biodegradable fabric crafted from recycled paper mulch or cornstarch. Paper mulch can last around 12 months and corn starch tends to biodegrade between 4 and 8 months. Both can effectively control weeds without harming the environment.”
Taking this professional advice in mind, we conducted extensive research that covered more than 30 different landscaping fabric products, which helped form the basis for the selection of the best landscape fabrics. However, to properly assess each product, it was necessary to take into account the size, material, thickness, and overall quality of each landscape fabric.
The size of each landscape fabric product was crucial information to have because the size is the primary factor that influences the price. The larger the landscape fabric, the higher the price. Given that landscape fabrics are separated into three different types, the material was the next aspect to consider. Most products were made with woven fabric, though there were a few standout non-woven landscape fabric options as well.
The durability of the product often comes down to the thickness, so for more heavy-duty jobs, it is necessary to find a thick weed barrier landscape fabric that can hold the weight without tearing. Some preference was given to products that were made for specific jobs, like increasing stability on a gravel path or serving as an underlay for artificial grass.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
Hoople Garden Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Material: Fabric
- Type: Nonwoven
- Dimensions: 180 feet long by 32 inches wide
What We Like
- 2 to 3 times thicker than the majority of its counterparts
- Built-in UV stabilizers prevent burning and plant damage
- Multiple sizes available for small to large flower beds
- Highly permeable in average precipitation for excellent irrigation
What We Don’t Like
- Not suitable for vegetable gardens
- Puddles quickly form in heavy rain
If the goal is to find a durable, nonwoven fabric for any landscape situation, the Hoople garden weed barrier fits the bill. Because it is two to three times thicker (at 5 ounces per square yard) than some other landscape fabrics, it tends to drain more slowly than those thinner options in heavy rainfall.
Still, the fabric remains highly permeable in average precipitation. The nonwoven fabric is durable enough to withstand the pressure of brick pavers and heavy stone, though it can also be used under gravel or mulch to add attractive layers to the landscape.
Whether the landscaping fabric is covered with organic mulches or not, ultraviolet (UV) stabilizers prevent it from rotting when exposed to direct sunlight, so you can rely on this landscape fabric to prevent weed growth for years. This roll measures 180 feet long by 32 inches wide, though it comes in other widths and lengths.
Get the Hoople landscape fabric at Amazon or Walmart.
Best Bang For The Buck
Petgrow Heavy-Duty Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Material: Polypropylene
- Type: Nonwoven
- Dimensions: 100 feet long by 3 feet wide (other sizes available)
What We Like
- Heavy-duty and eco-friendly construction with UV-stabilized materials
- Easy to install; lightweight and breathable construction lays easily
- Comes in multiple sizes depending on the outdoor space
What We Don’t Like
- May not be as heavy-duty if it is cut; the weed barrier fabric may unravel
Those who need a budget-friendly weed barrier fabric can rely on this heavy-duty option from Petgrow. This fabric provides ample irrigation for plants and flowers with its needle-punched design and is made with chemical-free and corrosion-resistant polypropylene.
For users’ convenience, this UV-stabilized landscape fabric is 100 feet long by 3 feet wide but comes in many other sizes depending on the amount of land and garden space that needs to be covered. Plus, this weed barrier fabric has a 3.8-ounce thickness for weed control. Finally, this fabric is made with UV-stabilized materials to prevent any burning and sun damage.
Get the Petgrow landscape fabric at Amazon or Petgrow.
Best For Weeds
DeWitt Pro-5 Weed-Barrier
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Material: Polypropylene
- Type: Woven, needle-punched
- Dimensions: 5 feet wide by 250 feet long; other sizes available
What We Like
- Landscape contractor-approved for professional use, yet easy to lay
- Heavy-duty 5-ounce woven fabric with UV resistance
- High-visibility stripes every 12 inches to help with planting alignment
What We Don’t Like
- Large rolls may be too much for some gardens (smallest size is 3 feet by 250 feet)
Designed for professional and commercial use, this weed control fabric mat from DeWitt is a heavy-duty and effective option for serious gardeners. Used by landscape architects, government agencies, and professional contractors, this weed barrier is a sturdy and long-lasting choice.
The rolls are available in different sizes and are made from woven polypropylene and needle-punched fabric. This durable construction lets water, air, and essential nutrients through yet is an effective weed block. This thick landscape fabric won’t rot or develop mildew in damp areas, and it’s highly UV-resistant to prevent it from degrading in sunny conditions. It’s striped every 12 inches to assist users with alignment when planting garden beds.
Get the DeWitt Pro-5 landscape fabric at Amazon, Lowe’s (2-pack), The Home Depot (2-pack), or Walmart.
Best Aeration
Amagabeli Garden & Home Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Material: Geotextile polyester
- Type: Woven, needle punched
- Dimensions: 3 feet wide by 100 feet long; other sizes available
What We Like
- Geotextile material is eco-friendly and provides excellent soil moisture
- Weatherproof and UV-stabilized needle-punched polyester prevents sun damage
- Comes in multiple sizes for small or large outdoor spaces
- Green stripes provide proper planting alignment
What We Don’t Like
- Some users have reported that weeds can sprout through
The Amagabeli Garden & Home landscape fabric provides irrigation and aeration to support the growth of healthy plants while keeping out weeds. It is made with a woven, needle-punched geotextile polyester material that promotes soil moisture and root growth. It’s also weatherproof and UV-stabilized, protecting plants from sun damage.
When it comes time to plant, this fabric can be cut and aligned with green stripes for vegetable patches, flower beds, gardens, driveways, and artificial grass. Though the 3-foot-wide by 100-foot-long strip accommodates 300 square feet, this roll of landscape fabric comes in multiple lengths.
Get the Amagabeli landscape fabric at Amazon.
DeWitt 12-Year Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Material: Fabric
- Type: Woven
- Dimensions: 50 feet long by 4 feet wide
What We Like
- Protective UV-resistant coating prevents plants from burning
- Hydrophilic treatment improves permeability and irrigation
- Long 12-year lifespan makes it reliable and durable
What We Don’t Like
- Small size isn’t suitable for large projects; may not be ideal for some users
The lightweight woven fabric of DeWitt weed barrier landscape fabric is impressively durable with a guaranteed lifespan of up to 12 years before it needs to be removed and replaced. This landscape fabric roll measures 50 feet long by 4 feet wide, which is an excellent size for small garden beds, while the thickness of 1.5 ounces per square yard is suitable for low-traffic areas.
Despite the UV-resistant coating, this landscape fabric requires a layer of mulch after installation to protect it from direct sun exposure. Unlike other weed barriers prone to unraveling, DeWitt weed barrier fabric won’t fray when cut and has had hydrophilic treatment to allow for maximum water, air, and nutrient penetration. The fabric minimizes light penetration, which helps suppress weed growth.
Best Eco-friendly
ECOgardener Premium Weed Barrier
Photo: Amazon
Product Specs
- Material: Fabric
- Type: Perforated
- Dimensions: 50 feet long by 3 feet wide
What We Like
- Eco-friendly polypropylene construction lasts for long-term use
- Dual-layered protection prevents weeds while providing proper irrigation
- Easy to install due to its lightweight construction
- Multiple sizes available for small to large landscapes
What We Don’t Like
- Untreated fabric must be covered to prevent UV damage
The thick, dual-layered, needle-punched fabric of the ECOgardener Premium weed barrier allows for optimal air and water circulation to promote plant growth while weed seeds are prevented from sprouting. Made of perforated woven polypropylene, this fabric is safe for the environment, ensuring that rain and snow runoff won’t release chemicals into the soil.
At just 5 pounds, the 50-foot-long by 3-foot-wide roll is lightweight and easy to install, though it’s still important to put landscape pins about once every foot to keep the landscape fabric secure. Because it’s untreated for sun exposure, it’s damaged easily by the sun, and anyone installing the weed barrier should cover the fabric with mulch immediately after installation. Leaving the fabric exposed to the sun will shorten its lifespan.
Get the ECOgardener landscape fabric at Amazon or EcoGardener.
Best Heavy-duty
Flarmor Landscape Fabric Weed Barrier
Photo: Amazon