bedsheets as weed barrier underneath mulch?

Any reasons/recommendations/considerations why I shouldn't reuse old bedsheets bedsheets as landscape weed barrier underneath mulch?

Ideas I've heard (from folks who have never actually tried it):
* polyester/satin-ish sheets are better because cotton sheets breakdown too quickly
* see-through cotton sheets are ineffective because weeds grow through easily.

Any help is appreciated!

Well, speaking only for myself....I am forever changing my mind and after I mulch......I see something I DON'T need but know would look good ...do well...is a great buy.... Etc. if I used landscape fabric..I would constantly be doing battle with it...cutting into it...etc., I imagine it would be the same with sheets.

I just preen before I mulch. Weeds do grow on top of mulch ( come in with the mulch a lot of the time ) but even with the barrier underneath...that will happen.

This message was edited Sep 25, 2015 10:19 PM

I have never understood the reason for putting anything under the mulch. It just makes the weeds (which grow right through it) so much harder to pull.

I don't have anything coming from underneath the black landscape fabric ( where I have existing shrubs) except sometimes where I have not overlapped the edges. I don't use in any area where I might add another plant

Landscape fabric under mulch is very effective.
When the weeds do grow they are very shallow rooted and easy to pull.

When I've put in a new bed, particularly over a grassy area, I've found that cardboard works well - you cut holes ahead of time large enough to plant through, then hold it in place with either landscape pins or rocks, and a year later, the grass is dead and you can go right over the deteriorating cardboard with your mulch. It avoids the need to use an herbicide and really speeds up the preparation of the bed.

It's used in all commercial installs for shopping centers etc.

I misunderstood. I didn't think it was to cover up area with healthy grass. Never used it that way.

It doesnt have to be used that way but it can be. Can preen be used in a veggie garden?

There is a Preen for veggie gardens. Once down the soil should not be disturbed as the Preen forms a barrier once it is wet. I am not sure if seeds planted shallowly in vegetable garden would be affected. I think so. it doesn't go deep..so seeds planted a few inches down ought to be OK.

This message was edited Sep 26, 2015 10:11 PM

I'll look into it. Thank you.

The smaller the seed, the better Preen works. Don't use it on your bean field. It would be a waste of money.

As for weed barriers. The people selling the stuff have you all completely sucked in. Its the biggest waste of money ever. It causes the soil to compact and stagnate and it doesn't keep weeds from sprouting.

How about the people that are using it with success?

May not be many people reading this who have used bed sheets.


Landscape fabric flies off shelves at Costco. So, must be used with success, I find it works well for my needs. I never have weeds coming up from under and if I could find a no repeat treatment for the topside of the mulch - I would be thrilled. Preen is the best I can do to keep things down. I needs to be done every 3 months in seasons other than winter. The mulch is a huge culprit. The best experience I have had mulching is glass mulch. I put landscape fabric down and glass mulching top. It lasts forever and sparkles pretty in the sun. Again, the fabric and mulch goes where I don't have any intention of increasing plantings in that area. I have mulched with gravel but it 'grows ' weeds overnight! I bought the crushed glass at landfill by the big scoop.- 20 something dollars / scoop. 2 scoops to small pickup truck bed.

This message was edited Sep 27, 2015 1:11 AM

I suspect bedsheets would have the same problem as the landscape fabric I found all over my yard from the previous owners:
1- weeds that do sprout above it get the roots tangled in the fabric, and are harder to pull.
2- it prevents desirable roots from going deep.
3. It keeps the worms and things from mixing up the soil, adding the decaying organic matter from the mulch to the top layers of soil, so my clay under it never softens up and remains a hardpan layer (you might not have this problem)
4- vermin make tunnels under it, and are protected from predators
5- it's the very devil to get out later, if you rearrange things. I hate it.

However if you did use cotton bedsheets, it would be more like cardboard, which decomposes over the first year. The only problem I have had with cardboard or newspapers is the vermin, and this is very temporary.

What I do-
1- Preen is quite nice, in my climate applying it in early spring and again in fall is enough, I buy the big huge bins of it to keep the cost down
2- Cardboard under mulch seems to work quite well here
3- manual weeding
4- I have a flamethrower for the gravel areas. this is the most fun!
5- There are also companies selling landscape fabric that does eventually decompose, I have never tried it as cardboard works fine.

I have to say I would modify my response by saying I only use landscape cloth in pathways.
I have used newspaper and cardboard in the garden beds.

landscape fabric under mulch is very effective.

If you want it, have it. Ultimately it's your home so you should do whatever makes you happy. I like it, I think some of them look great. I used SCOTTS Fabric - It is an absolutely excellent product which can be used for hardscape projects as well. It is also famous for it control over the soil erosion as it has the capability to hold soil and of course provide the long lasting weed control. I found a good portal https://bestyardproducts.com/ I think you will be interested in this information.