Plastic landscape 'fabric' - Ask Extension
We bought our house last year but moved on this spring. Previous ones used plastic sheeting in the front garden bed, cutting holes for hydrangea and b...
Knowledgebase
Plastic landscape 'fabric' #921979
Asked November 14, 2025, 5:15 PM EST
We bought our house last year but moved on this spring. Previous ones used plastic sheeting in the front garden bed, cutting holes for hydrangea and boxwood, then covered with mulch. Last fall I brought bulbs from our old house and planted, cutting X in sheeting where I did. While nice to have weed suppression, I have to believe this cannot be good for the soil's overall health. Some weeds have gotten through and also grow in the mulch . Should I remove? If so, now before winter sets in, or wait for early spring? TIA
Pickaway County Ohio
Expert Response
Plastic weed barriers are effective but do have drawbacks. While they are good at suppressing weeds, I believe you are correct about their overall detriments to healthy soil.
While plastic "mulch" does have a place in agriculture, there are several drawbacks to its use in the home garden other than the general concerns about plastics in general. It does not allow air or moisture exchange, won't biodegrade to improve organic matter in your soil, and may leach chemicals and microplastics into the soil and organisms that live in it.
Removing the plastic and using an organic mulch in its place should improve the health of the soil. As far as when, anytime you are comfortable getting out in the garden will work (at least as long as the ground isn't frozen). For the sake of the microorganisms that live in the soil, the sooner the better. Replace the plastic with shredded leaves, straw, bark, or wood chips to retain moisture, discourage weeds, and allow the soil to "breathe". Do not put mulch right up to the stems of plants; keep it an inch or two away. As your organic mulch breaks down, it will add organic matter to the soil, improving its capacity to hold water and air as well as improving the nutrition to the microscopic fungi and animals that live in it.
The removal of the plastic may be a big job; it looks as if it is starting to break down in the sunlight on the edges and it may be hard to remove in large pieces. In addition, the mulch will have to be removed from on top of it and either replaced or discarded. You may find that a bit of removal at a time works better. You will probably have more weeds to deal with, but if they have to grow up through mulch they should be fairly easy to remove.
The link below is a discussion of different mulches for home gardeners and landscape plantings. It may help you make a decision on replacement of the plastic. Good luck and happy "unplasticing". Thank you for asking Extension about your landscaping beds.
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/mulches-home-gardens-and-plantings/
While plastic "mulch" does have a place in agriculture, there are several drawbacks to its use in the home garden other than the general concerns about plastics in general. It does not allow air or moisture exchange, won't biodegrade to improve organic matter in your soil, and may leach chemicals and microplastics into the soil and organisms that live in it.
Removing the plastic and using an organic mulch in its place should improve the health of the soil. As far as when, anytime you are comfortable getting out in the garden will work (at least as long as the ground isn't frozen). For the sake of the microorganisms that live in the soil, the sooner the better. Replace the plastic with shredded leaves, straw, bark, or wood chips to retain moisture, discourage weeds, and allow the soil to "breathe". Do not put mulch right up to the stems of plants; keep it an inch or two away. As your organic mulch breaks down, it will add organic matter to the soil, improving its capacity to hold water and air as well as improving the nutrition to the microscopic fungi and animals that live in it.
The removal of the plastic may be a big job; it looks as if it is starting to break down in the sunlight on the edges and it may be hard to remove in large pieces. In addition, the mulch will have to be removed from on top of it and either replaced or discarded. You may find that a bit of removal at a time works better. You will probably have more weeds to deal with, but if they have to grow up through mulch they should be fairly easy to remove.
The link below is a discussion of different mulches for home gardeners and landscape plantings. It may help you make a decision on replacement of the plastic. Good luck and happy "unplasticing". Thank you for asking Extension about your landscaping beds.
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/mulches-home-gardens-and-plantings/
