I'm dealing with a huge garden that I inherited, and my mother-in-law is keen on laying down carpet under everything to keep the weeds at bay. While I understand her point since she used it in her garden, I'm really not convinced. I worry about the soil health and whether it's good for the bugs in the soil. She insists the bugs are fine, but are there reasons I should stand my ground against using carpet? Should I consider her suggestion or stick to my instincts? I have to admit, weeding in this massive garden is quite a chore, so maybe it's worth exploring?
5 Answers
Landscaping fabric is the worst. It's bad for our plants and the ecosystem. You're left with bits of plastic forever. Why not consider creating a native plant pollinator garden instead? It looks beautiful, requires less weeding, and supports local wildlife!
Honestly, it’s a bad call. Carpet might keep weeds down initially but it can intertwine with roots, making future removal a nightmare. Opting for deep mulch is not only cheaper but much better for the garden in the long run. Trust your instincts on this one!
Definitely don’t do it! We had carpet buried in our old garden, and over time, it disintegrated but left chunks of plastic everywhere. It’s super hard to remove, and you don't want that mix in your soil. Instead, check out using cardboard or look into no-dig gardening—it’s eco-friendly and way easier to manage!
I’d steer clear of putting any kind of carpet down. There may be chemicals that leach into the soil. Using a layer of mulch is a far better approach; it breaks down into healthy soil over time. You could also consider a weed barrier between your rows instead!
It really depends on what kind of carpet you mean. If it's a wool or cotton carpet, that's a different story compared to synthetic materials. Generally speaking, I'd say it's a bad idea. Synthetic carpets can accumulate and cause issues long-term, blocking nutrients and affecting soil health. You might want to rethink it altogether!

Yeah, I think she's talking about landscaping fabric or plastic rather than a regular rug. That stuff is pretty harmful.