Instructions for Laying Landscape Fabric Near Established Trees and Shrubs

Instruction manual for laying landscape fabric around established trees and bushes, detailing the correct approach to protect the vegetation during the process.

, and Administrator

2025 September 14 . 8:26 PM

2 min read

Instructions for Laying Landscape Fabric Near Established Trees and Shrubs

Prepare your garden for a weed-free and attractive appearance with the installation of landscape fabric. This eco-friendly solution offers premium weed protection without the use of toxic herbicides. Here's a simple guide to help you get started.

Step 1: Preparation

Begin by clearing your plant bed of weeds and debris. A rake is an essential tool for this task, helping you to remove unwanted items and level the ground. Ensure the area is free from garden waste to allow the fabric to lay flat and make contact with the soil.

Step 2: Soil Enrichment

Before installation, enrich your soil with vital nutrients. Organic compost is ideal for this purpose, but other fertilizers can also be used. Proper soil preparation is crucial as it will be challenging to access the soil after the fabric has been laid.

Step 3: Fabric Selection

Choose a durable yet breathable landscape fabric like the ECOgardener landscape fabric for optimal results. This material will help prevent weed growth while allowing water and air to reach your plants.

Step 4: Fabric Installation

Start rolling out sections of the landscape fabric at one edge of the plant bed, with the fuzzy side down. Leave excess around the edges for stapling later.

Step 5: Precise Cutting

Handle the fabric carefully during installation, avoiding stretching or tearing. Cut holes precisely for plants, ensuring they are large enough for the trunk or base of the plant.

Step 6: Plant-friendly Installation

Landscape fabric won't harm plants as long as it is installed correctly. When reaching a tree or shrub, cut a slit in the fabric big enough to fit the tree trunk, taking care not to rest the material against the tree's trunk or root flare. For shrubs, cut the fabric to the appropriate length and create a slit to slip it around the base of the plant.

Step 7: Pinning the Fabric

When pinning the landscape fabric in place, install a pin on every foot of the edges, between overlapping sections, at every hole or slit leading to a plant, between the triangle-shaped X-shape slit, and for every square foot within the interior of the material. For a more secure hold, maintain a 6 to 12-inch overlap between sections of landscape fabric to be stapled in place later on.

Step 8: Stapling the Fabric

Once the fabric is in place, staple it down, ensuring you have enough pins for every foot of the edges, every square foot in the bed's interior area, every foot of slit, extra pins for overlapping, and 4 pins for every X-shape cut.

Step 9: Mulching

After the fabric is securely in place, apply a nice layer of mulch. This will help insulate the soil, weigh the landscape fabric down, and improve the look of your garden. Ensure the mulch is applied in an even layer and kept at least 2 inches away from the tree or shrub trunk.

With these steps, you'll have a weed-free and attractive garden in no time. Happy gardening!