Landscaping

» Barbara Nicholson Bell - Landscaping cloth

I agree that landscape cloth has its limitations. Here in my Northeast garden, it doesn't even keep out the weeds, once they get a foothold where the bulbs were inserted. Many weeds have runner systems that spread underneath the landscape cloth and the weeds flourish, popping up wherever there's a hole or cut in the cloth.

However, with my perennials, they store enough nutrients and food in their bulbs that even if the cloth gets choked with debris over time, the daffs and tulips are able to survive.

I don't know if this would be true in other parts of the country. My bed is not very big: a series of 3'x3' squares edged in brick along the driveway. The landscape cloth was primarily used to prevent squirrels from stealing the bulbs.