Lay it down and cover it with dirt. When you want to plant something, cut an X so you can plant through it. Of course, if you have existing plants, you have to work around them too.

You might be able to find more tips by using a search engine with the term "using landscape fabric".

Here is a link that might be useful: Using landscape fabric

If you really mean landscape fabric, it is great. If you really mean paper, don't bother. I ordered some from a catalog to try last year. Big mistake! It was just paper and kinda thin at that! The slightest touch tore it and weeds of every sort came right up through it.

Aaarraaghhh! Do not use that stuff! Don't even think about using plastic; environmentally diastrous. In my opinion, it greatly limits where and what you can plant in those areas. It always seems to show above the mulch eventually. Mulch is meant to break down and nourish the soil over time but that plastic or fabric stuff prohibits that. And I've seen burmuda and weeds grow right through it and on top of it!
There are other ways to prevent weeds, if that is your goal.
Sorry to be so rabid about this but it's one of my pet peeves!

petalnet, you are right. There ARE some conditions that might benefit from fabric, but most don't. I have used it in vegetable gardens, knowing that it would be taken up at the end of the season. I don't and won't use it in the landscape.Some folks, however, may not want to spend much time on garden maintenance and it might help them.

Well, I am a relatively new gardner and not nearly as knowledgable as those on this forum, so, as my husband says, 75 cents and my opinion will buy a cup of coffee. (hee hee) I don't use any landscape cloths except in my dry creek bed. We all have to weed, it's just part of the process. I just prepare my soil, mulch it heavy and pull by hand or use a hoe. Sometimes I use a pre-emergent and sometimes if there are a lot of weeds in a space where I can use it safely, I use a little roundup (although I hate that stuff). I have used some newspapers under my mulch. I have to wonder that if landscape fabric will keep the weeds out, what about the little seeds we want to germinate. Can they germinate their roots through? I say invest your money in some mulch or generate some good composte and buy a hoe. Your ground will be better for it. I find with a good layer of mulch, weeding isn't too diffcult most of the time. Anyway, do what works for you and your time factor. Good luck! Debbs

I agree with most of these good posts. Landscaping paper (which I have never used) and fabric are not a help for the homeowner and may be a hindrance. [If using the paper, though, it should be used like the fabric....lay it on TOP of the soil and put MULCH on top. Cut holes to plant into it.]

Professionals once used this stuff, but most have learned better by now. Homeowner, especially new gardeners, still try the stuff.

Lay several layers of newspaper down on the soil....keep it moist and mulch it as you go so that it won't blow away. Works beautifully as a barrier, and decomposes nicely.

Any dirt, mulch or leaves that blow onto the top of any landscape fabric forms enough "soil" for weed and grass seeds to germinate and grow. So, you haven't done anything except to make them easier to pull. And pulling by hand is the only way to get rid of them. Since you would have the fabric down, you would not be able to use a hoe.

The newspaper is great if you are trying to block out existing lawn for a new bed, I have heard cardboard works great too, but landscape fabric is a real pain if you ask me, plus your palnts can't expand the way they would naturally. Just make sure the newspaper is at least 5-10 sheets thick depending on the strnegth of what you are covering up. I use about 5 for fescue but 10 for bermuda or weeds. Then make sure you cover it with enough organic matter to keep it from blowing away, this won't preven new weeds, but saves a lot of backbreaking work.