Landscape fabric vs. cedar chips vs. ?

[photon]

My flower beds are filled with weeds, i think it's about time to do something about it other than just trying to deal with the weeds, they're winning.

Our beds are probably 6 years old or so, rocks with landscape fabric under. I understand that dirt gets on top of the landscape fabric and weeds grow that way and then get through the landscape fabric.

Is it better to redo the landscape fabric and get ahead of the game again for a while?

Or I've read that cedar chips are better in that they inhibit weed growth and block more sun than a layer of rocks so weeds find it harder to grow, though I read that the cedar chips need to be a thick layer, we could probably only get 2-3 inches thick.

If we went with cedar chips, would it be better to take out the rocks and put down new landscape fabric, then put cedar chips? Or just put down the cedar chips on top of everything?

I'd really like to just pave it all but that's a lot of $ (and I'm only half kidding)

[CaptainYooh]

There is no way to win a war against weeds unless you are prepared to put significant time and effort into the fight almost on a daily basis. There's no magic solution, unfortunately. Weeds will grow through pretty much anything.

[Rathji]

The weeds just grow through the filter cloth, unless you get the good stuff. Even then, it just delays it. The stuff you should be using should almost be tarp like on one side and kind of fury on the bottom. I did it with my mom's place about 10 years ago now, and we are to the point where I am thinking about replacing it.

If you did cedar chips, then you should put down new filter cloth and get rid of the rocks entirely.

You could also just do cedar mulch, which would be a bit cheaper, not need filter cloth and look a little better IMHO. The trade off is that you would need to reapply every 2-3 years to keep it looking good.

Regardless of what you do, short of concrete/paving stones, you will likely have the same issues though, so in the long run, you are best off doing whatever you think looks best.

[Northendzone]

is burning the weeds with fire a feasible option?

[Knut]

We use the rubber mulch from Home Depot. Recycled tires basically. Only the occasional weed pokes through and it looks real sharp.

[Sliver]

Wood chips/mulch always look and smell great the first year, then by the second and third year they look terrible and they won't inhibit weeds at all IMO.

[photon]

Originally Posted by Hesla

We use the rubber mulch from Home Depot. Recycled tires basically. Only the occasional weed pokes through and it looks real sharp.

This sounds intriguing! How thick do you have it?

[photon]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

There is no way to win a war against weeds unless you are prepared to put significant time and effort into the fight almost on a daily basis. There's no magic solution, unfortunately. Weeds will grow through pretty much anything.

Yeah, just looking for the most delay.

I guess another ? option is to just pay someone to keep on top of them.

[Rathji]

I agree, I like the sounds of the rubber mulch.

A quick google image search leads me to believe that it wouldn't look so bad.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by photon

This sounds intriguing! How thick do you have it?

2-3" - They have red brown or black colors.

[undercoverbrother]

Rubber chips, cedar chips, whatever you pick, put down good quality fabric first. While those little #######s will still fight through, this will slow them down, and make for picking the few that poke through easier and less time comsuming.

[photon]

That might have been part of the initial problem, maybe the fabric the original landscapers used wasn't very good quality.

Anyway liking the rubber idea, closer to my ideal of a paved yard with fake grass, composite deck, silk plants, robotic birds, etc. Completely inorganic yard.

I guess the hard part will be getting rid of all the rocks.

[Rathji]

What kind of rock is it?

[TurdFerguson]

I did cedar mulch with thin fabric overlay underneath about 3 years ago. Weeded the area first, was generous on the fabric overlay etc..mulch is 3-3.5inches deep. No sign of a weed yet!

Doing some rocks down the side tonight actually, less optimistic about that...

[photon]

Originally Posted by Rathji

What kind of rock is it?

Pretty small, something like this https://shop.burnco.com/products/20m...pper-2221.html but even a little smaller and darker grey.

One side of my house is still unfinished between the houses, waiting for the neighbour to decide what we're going to do (probably just graded stairs with railroad ties or something), so maybe I'll just dump it back there in case we decide to use it in that area.

[Rathji]

Probably 20mm limestone, which would be good for what you are thinking of with the steps, as it makes a nice walkable surface.

To remove: since it is small, you could just scoop up the majority of it with a rake and shovel. Then with the rest just pull the cloth to gather the rest of them.

[Misterpants]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Wood chips/mulch always look and smell great the first year, then by the second and third year they look terrible and they won't inhibit weeds at all IMO.

Plus when you are trimming around your beds, the line catches the chips and flings them all over hell's half acre.

Nothing beats a dirt flower bed with a nice edge on it. Use a thre pronged hoe to turn the dirt and get the weeds and out and an edging tool on the sides.

[photon]

Yeah we have it going up the finished side of the house with some larger stepping stones on it and I'd probably leave that as is, not many weeds there and it does make a good walking surface, use em as the stair flat parts on the other side when the time comes.

Saves having to lug them all up from the walkout back yard to street level too!

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by photon

That might have been part of the initial problem, maybe the fabric the original landscapers used wasn't very good quality.

Anyway liking the rubber idea, closer to my ideal of a paved yard with fake grass, composite deck, silk plants, robotic birds, etc. Completely inorganic yard.

I guess the hard part will be getting rid of all the rocks.

OMG if you're serious I'll take some photos of my yard for you. I have a 60' stamped concrete patio, artificial grass, rocks beside my house, and five large silk plants. I have two real planters and three real trees, but the yard is almost 100% artificial and it looks pretty good.

The front yard it real grass, flowers, bushes and trees, though.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Misterpants

Plus when you are trimming around your beds, the line catches the chips and flings them all over hell's half acre.

Nothing beats a dirt flower bed with a nice edge on it. Use a thre pronged hoe to turn the dirt and get the weeds and out and an edging tool on the sides.

Yeah, a sharp edge on a tree well or black soil bed looks deadly.