mayland -- I have the landscape fabric and I'm not a big fan. In fact, I am steadily taking it up, bit by bit, as shrubs and ground covers take hold around in the beds. Mulch (no matter what kind) slides off of it in strong storms and, if I don't get out there and cover it up real quick-like afterward...the weeds start growing under it anyway. Anyway, I've done it now, so I have to work with it awhile longer in my front yard beds. But, as I move around to the back (where I'm going to have a lot more beds anyway), I'm either going to try the newspaper method or brown kraft paper. We have a lot of it left from recent construction and it comes in a nice, neat roll, just like landscape fabric! The kraft paper also has the advantage of being brown...so if mulch DOES slide off sometimes, at least it shouldn't be quite as obvious, so hopefully I won't have to rush right out there and fix it after every storm.

We will continue to use landscape fabrics under our paths probably, as they are covered with rock and seem OK.

Good luck...I know it must be frustrating.

Thanks, Mk87. I think perhaps we just didn't use enough newspaper. Ours was about 3 sheets thick. Maybe we needed double that. And I think Mondo is just harder to suppress than other weeds....we probably should have just spaded it all out first but it was a big area, and, well, you know how it goes!

Do you know whether kraft paper breaks down like newspaper and cardboard does? Maybe we should try that instead, being on a roll is very handy -- putting down the landscape fabric was much quicker than all those sheets of newspaper.

Thanks for your help!

I do think that as the landscape fabric ages, you will have similar issues of stuff poking through. And I have had some germinate in the mulch on TOP of the landscape fabric and poke their little roots right through to the soil.

mayland -- esh may have more knowledge about this, but I think you are right. Everyone I have talked to, who uses the newspaper, uses several sheets (I'm thinking probably a lot more than 3).

Sorry...didn't answer your question. I would guess that the kraft paper would break down; although maybe not quite as fast because it's thicker. Esh? What say you?

Yeah, kraft paper is really just thin cardboard. I'd say it might last longer than newspaper, but I'd for sure use more than one piece of it. And yes, I think if using newspaper, you should consider using like 8-10 sheets in a layer.

Thank you both -- the kraft paper sounds good. The 3-layer newspaper has done a reasonable job of keeping weeds other than the Mondo grass away (and has yet to break down). Or perhaps its the now thick lawn of Mondo growing under the paper that has kept the other weeds out!

I had hoped to garden entirely without the use of sprays but I am going to be trying some higher-strength round-up to kill off the mondo there. Failing that, we will have to take up the pinestraw and newspaper and spade it out.

For the remaining beds, we will dig out the mondo first (there is less of it), and I think we'll go with 2-3 layers of kraft paper rather than the landscape fabric. Its all a learning curve -- thanks for your help!

Would some one explain how to use newspapers and Kraft paper. I have landscape fabric and the mulch washes out into the yard every time it rains

gregnga -- As I understand it, the exact same way you'd use the fabric. For the kraft paper, I plan to roll it out (and I will probably use esh's suggestion and do at least 2 layers), and secure it with spikes similar to what I used on the landscape fabric. (Obviously, being as careful as possible not to rip the paper, when I do it.) And, then cover with mulch and water it down well. Now, I will probably clear the bed of weeds first. I have used the "smothering" technique before, with regular landscape fabric; but it seems to have different levels of success, depending on what kind of plants you are "smothering." (Hence, perhaps the Mondo grass issue. That stuff is pretty tough.) One of my friends uses newspaper and she just collects it all season and then uses a nice, thick layer in her beds, with mulch on top.

My experience with landscape fabric is similar to what others have said. It deters weeds well at the beginning, less so as it ages. I still like it for paths, even though a few seedlings poke through it now and then. Not many do, so it serves a purpose. I wouldn't use it in the garden.

Mike

gregnga, I saw your picture in the Design forum and I don't think your washout is because of the fabric/mulch - it looked like it was because of the way water moves through your yard and perhaps the proximity of the drainage pipe from the roof.