What To Know About Reusing Old Towels As An Inexpensive Weed Barrier

What constitutes a weed is a matter of context and perspective. The same plants that are undesirable for your garden plot may be invaluable to a nearby field. There they grow heartily despite poor soil conditions, and their root systems protect against erosion. Still, it's understandable why you might be looking for effective ways to banish weeds from your lawn. Weeds often outcompete garden plants for water, sunlight, and soil nutrients. They can encourage the onset of disease by overcrowding the soil and harboring pests. 

Mulching with natural or plastic materials is a good way to fight weeds. Farms often roll out plastic landscape fabric sheets beneath mulch to hamper undesired plant growth. Weed barrier can be expensive and difficult to use for home gardeners, especially since it makes irrigation more challenging. You might be able to accomplish the same goal using old towels.

Commercial weed barriers are made from materials that block seed growth, while being porous enough to let water through. A woven mesh made of polypropylene — a lightweight plastic also used for clothing and other textiles — is most common. Old bath linens can be a cheaper, more accessible weed prevention tool for the average household gardener. Plus, they're often made of eco-friendly materials. However, soft towels can also exacerbate common weed barrier issues. These include coming loose without substantial tacking, breaking down over time, and root infiltration.

Even plastic weed barriers are only guaranteed to last a couple of years, after which cheaper versions may start to degrade where they're buried. Microplastics seeping into the soil may limit how much water the soil can absorb and increase toxic runoff. You can avoid this by using old towels made from biodegradable materials such as cotton. You might accidentally pull up traditional weed barriers when harvesting produce, leaving unsightly holes in your cloth that allow weeds back in. Plastics are tougher and don't tear as easily as towels.

Another major concern about using weed barrier at home is that you typically need a special irrigation system to water your plants thoroughly. Bathroom linens are often made from natural materials that stay damp when irrigated. Before you know it, you've got mold growing on your towels that could spread. This could cause wilting, stem rot, and ultimately death in many staple garden plants. Perennial weeds have hardy root systems that can also cause problems for porous landscape fabrics. The roots may become impossible to remove if they grow through the barrier. Tree and shrub roots can also grow through fabric. If it becomes too much of a mess, you may need to remove the towels completely.

There are a number of natural DIY weed barrier alternatives to landscaping fabric that help you avoid the above issues. For example, you could grow a local ground cover species that crowds out any weeds. Don't discount the idea of using old bath linens entirely, either. Grabbing a couple of towels from your closet that otherwise might have gone to waste is cheap and convenient, especially if you need to refit your garden in a pinch. Use it as a temporary fix for weed suppression in place of traditional landscape fabrics. That said, both commercial weed barriers and towels will inevitably degrade. At least you can rely on the fact that most towels break down into organic matter that benefits the soil. Just be sure to confirm the linens you use are made of biodegradable fibers, such as 100% pure cotton.

Double-thick cotton towels are particularly worthwhile as a weed barrier. They're sturdier, so they should survive the elements longer. They're also less likely to hide pests such as slugs than leaves or other organic mulches. Landscape fabrics are used regularly in plant or tree nurseries to reduce weeds and make maintenance easier. Take a leaf from the pros — if your potted plants or saplings are sitting on the ground, place an old towel underneath them. You can also use them to cover less used garden paths so they don't spring up with weeds.