Gardening is both rewarding and work. When you have a garden the last thing you want is weeds taking over your plants. But preventing these weeds can be harder than one might think and using the right materials can help make this process easier. So, can you put a weed barrier over grass? Will weed barriers kill grass?
Yes, you can put weed barrier over grass to kill and prevent grass from growing. Weed Barriers are used to prevent weeds from sprouting and growing into a garden. They can be placed over grass. However, using these barriers on grass can kill it, especially if the grass has been cut short.
When you use weed barriers there are some things that need to be kept in mind. Sometimes a weed barrier will kill the grass underneath. Sometimes weeds can still grow in your garden. This article will talk about how to use a weed barrier, killing grass, and what causes weeds to still grow when using a weed barrier or landscape fabric.
Will Weed Barrier Kill Existing Grass?
When you use weed barriers or landscape fabric, the main goal is to prevent unwanted plants and weeds from growing in your garden. However, you may be concerned about the grass that is underneath and if using these barriers will cause the grass to die out.
Weed barriers and landscape fabric will kill existing grass within a few months of laying it down. The grass and weeds left under the weed barrier will not grow back as long the weed barrier remains in place.
There are some things that can increase the chances of grass dying underneath a weed barrier. One of these factors is if your grass has been cut shorter before applying any fabrics or barriers.
Can You Put Weed Fabric Right Over Grass?
You can use weed fabric over any type of soil and ground. This is especially true for grass. Usually, these barriers are placed over grassy areas that are intended to be used for gardens. It is best to place this over short grass to help ensure that the grass dyes out and weeds are prevented from growing.
Once you place these barriers down, you can cover them with mulch or garden stones and plant any type of plants.
Here’s a cool video showing what will happen after a few years using weed barrier:
Check out these Professional Quality Weed Barrier and Weed Barrier Stakes from Amazon to see the most current selection and pricing.
Using a Weed Barrier Doesn’t Guarantee a Weedless Garden.
When you use a weed barrier or fabric, the main goal is to prevent weed growth. This isn’t always the case. Sometimes there are weeds that can be seen poking through any weed or fabric barrier that you have placed.
Depending on the mulch that you use can affect the weed growth in your garden. There is mulch and soil that has unfortunately been mixed with some weed seeds. This can happen in products that are not organic and processed correctly. Using these types of mulch and garden soil can cause weed seeds to grow without being aware of their presence in your garden until it is too late.
Will Grass Roots Grow Through Weed Barrier?
Using any barrier should in theory prevent any grass or weeds from growing. Using a plastic barrier is the most effective since coverage can be greater. Plastic barriers are great at blocking sunlight, air, and water from the ground below. This is important to prevent weed and grass growth.
However, plastic can be harmful for your plants since it decreases the air and water supply.
Types of Weed Barriers
There are many types of weed barriers out there. Some are going to be more expensive while others may be made from harsher materials that not only keeps weeds and grass out but also can cause plant growth to be decreased.
These types of weed barriers are:
- Plastic
- Natural Home-Made
- Landscape Fabric
- Natural
There are several reasons why each of these types of weed barriers are great options for keeping your garden weed free. However, each type will also have the cons that can go along with it that can affect your plants.
Plastic Barriers
Plastic barriers are great for killing any weeds and grass that lay underneath. They prevent any air, sunlight, and water from reaching the soil and grass underneath, which is important for growth. Using plastic as a barrier is great for larger areas.
However, plastic does tend to tear easily and can potentially prevent air and water from getting to your plants as well. There is a way to fix this issue though. Preventing the plastic barrier from getting walked on can help with keeping it tear free. You can also cut holes that are sized to the plants you are preparing to place in the plastic barrier or garden to allow for proper growth.
Plastic barriers are great for only yearly use though and should be replaced for the next garden season.
Home- and Naturally Made Weed Barrier
You might be wondering what home-made barriers are. Homemade weed barriers consist of items you may already have at home and cost little to no money to use. These materials are newspapers, cardboard, and plastics. Plastics can include trash bags or even shopping bags.
While this is an eco-friendly way to create a weed barrier, it doesn’t guarantee that weeds won’t show up in your garden. Applying several layers of newspapers and plastic bags.
Since this is easily made, it makes it a great option to save money and to use materials that can be recycled.
Landscaping Fabric
Landscaping fabric is also an eco-friendly weed barrier. These barriers are made with a fabric that is much like burlap and can be placed almost anywhere you want to prevent weed growth.
Because they are like burlaps, they have tiny holes that allow air and water to flow to the plants that are in your garden. However, while landscaping fabric does block sunlight, the sun can cause the fabric to deteriorate faster. To help keep this deterioration from happening as quickly, you can add mulch on top. Being mindful of the type of mulch to add for weed prevention.
Natural Weed Barriers
Natural weed barriers are kind of like homemade weed barriers. They are composed of natural eco-friendly materials that are produced by nature. So, what do natural weed barriers consist of?
Natural weed barriers are made from leaves, straw, and bark. They also can include mulch that is made from dried or cut wood pieces. An awesome thing about using natural weed barriers is that they decompose over time and can ultimately aid in your garden plant’s growth.
Since they are found in nature, they are a very cost efficient barrier to use and can be found practically everywhere in your yard or even nearby.
Check out these Professional Quality Weed Barrier and Weed Barrier Stakes from Amazon to see the most current selection and pricing.
Concluding Thoughts
When it comes to your lawn you are probably wondering what to do about the weeds in areas you plant a garden. Weed barriers are great at preventing weeds from growing and can be placed on top of any grass that is present in the area.
Weed barriers are also known to kill any grass that they cover due to a lack of sunlight, water, and air flow to the soil and the plants. This is why choosing one of the four types of barriers can be important not only regarding cost but on how much more work you will need to do to make sure that there is adequate air and water supply for your plants.