A tedious part about gardening is dealing with weeds. One solution is to put landscape fabric, also known as weed barrier, over grass to block weed growth.

“Take the time and put in the small investment of laying landscape fabric down,” said Esther Nelson, environmental plant science graduate assistant at Missouri State University. “It will cut down on the maintenance of weed pulling and hoeing.”

Make gardening easier

Besides controlling weeds, landscape fabric keeps the soil warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. It also keeps moisture in the ground because water can pass through the fabric’s porous material.

“This is essential for plant growth, especially during the summer,” Nelson said.

Choose the right type

There are different types of fabric. Depending on the brand, material and thickness, some fabric lasts only a season while others have a longer life span.

“Choose based on your needs and keep in mind the size of the area you want to cover. Landscape fabric comes in rolls of different sizes,” Nelson said.

Check out the environmental plant science program

Lay down the fabric

The items you need to lay landscape fabric include the roll(s) of fabric, landscape pins, shovel, scissors or utility knife and hammer.

Follow these steps to complete the project:

• Dig and remove any existing weeds in the garden bed.
• Place the beginning part of the roll lengthwise on the bed and secure the corners with pins.
• Unroll the fabric to cover the area, secure the corners with pins and cut it using a utility knife or scissors.
• Place pins through the fabric and into the ground every foot or so.
• Use the utility knife or scissors to cut a small X or circle into the fabric at the desired spot for new plants. You can also use a small propane torch to do this.
• Dig a hole under the X or circle, place the plant in the hole and push the sides of the fabric back down.
• Cover the area with 2-3 inches of mulch.