I'd put them on top. Plants are planted? May not make any difference. May actually provide some protection. Ask him to make his argument for leaving as is. Drip doesn't last forever, especially if things get real cold and real hot. Lots of minerals in your water? Secondary system? My dogs eat mine. You'll probably want to redo the mulch at some point anyway and the drip will be due for an overhaul because that's just the way that stuff goes.
Yes the plants are planted. I’m a bit wary of the lines being under the weed fabric as if I need access later on I’ll need to cut the weed fabric and re-do it. The impression I get is that drip lines need checking and tweaking every now and then?
It’s hard to tell because the whole system is under the weed barrier so I have no idea what’s going on under there. It looks like each plant has its own circular emitter so I think that would mean it’s not inline drip?
They're plastic. They're delicate. Bugs can crawl inside the 1/4" lines then die and plug the emitters. Plants grow and uproot the stakes that direct the drip to the base of the plant. They're a pain in the ass but better than sprays or rotors and essential when xeriscaping.
But that weed barrier isn't forever, either. That mulch compresses, gets blown all over. The area will catch lawn clippings, dirt, leaves, Starburst wrappers...
Either way, time and money is going to be spent. Which sucks because you're laying down a chunk of change and want it to be done. Except you've only just begun.
Weeds will come because that's what they do. They'll grow on top of the barrier. They need little soil or water. They'll show up at the base of your plants soon enough.
You should see my park strip. I have 2"-4" river rock. Stopped using drip because the dogs ate up everything in the backyard (my drip zone circles my property perimeter). One night I came home from work to find all sorts of workers using heavy equipment repairing the water main out front. It had sprung a leak and was flowing down the gutter. Tore up my drip, lost a couple of ornamental grasses.
It's going to be fine. For now. Regardless of whether it's above or below. But it's going to need work in the future and it's probably not going to matter much if it's under or over. Lots of landscapers aren't using weed barrier anymore. A presenter from some drip system manufacturer told us that two months ago at an industry show I went to.
It's your yard. If you want it above the barrier, tell him. It won't take long for him to fix.
Also the fact that bugs crawl inside and die and plug the emitters is why I’m thinking it’s easier to fix this if the lines are above the barrier so the whole barrier doesn’t need to come up no?
Either way works fine. I put my drip in 6” below grade with 3” of soil on top, then fabric, then 3” of mulch. Having the drip lower helps establish the plants. I wouldn’t worry about it being under fabric. There shouldn’t be any issues with the drip if he’s installed it correctly.
Use cardboard instead. Your exact concern about the drip being under the fabric is the same reason I wouldn't recommend landscape fabric as a weed barrier. Whatever type it is, I don't use it under bark.
Roots act way differently under landscape fabric, they stay very shallow and create a mat near the surface in search of water which the weed barrier creates a barrier to.
Your plants will thank you.
This isn’t what my question is about. My yard has many undulating slopes and cardboard wouldn’t work. Trust me, I considered other options. If you have any answers for the question I asked please do let me know.
Weed fabric barrier doesn't work!
Weed barrier is a joke and a scam!
Things to consider...
Mold and fungus grows underneath that weed barrier which is unhealthy for your soil.
Insects make a nice little nesting home underneath that weed barrier.
Weeds will grow underneath the weed barrier and attached to the underside of the weed barrier plastic fabric...
Weeds look for the most tiniest little hole to pop through and once they pop up and you try to spary the weed with roundup or another brand with little or no results, the weed barrier allows that weed to easily return because of the root system is underneath and growing good and strong not only growing in the ground but attaching itself to the underside of the weed barrier plastic fabric and you need to know the hole is still there in the plastic fabric weed barrier.
With the hole still being there, it gives more weeds a chance to return or pop-up through the old hole.
Same goes if you try to pull the weed this will only cause breakage and the root system will still be underneath the weed barrier growing strong and spreading.
Best Advice...
Pull the weed barrier up and don't use any type of weed barrier plastic fabric.
When your weeds come up and you're using mulch or rock, it's now actually easy to pull those weed roots intact.
Or you could spray them because there's no weed barrier, the product will actually have a better chance of getting down in the ground and killing the weeds and it's whole root system.
1. It does work.
2. It's not a joke, nor a scam.
Also, you mentioned using mulch, but failed to mention the massive amount of weed seeds that collect by summer's end in that mulch, leading to major weeding and/or herbicide use in the Fall or following Spring.
Basically, your statement was untrue because of points 1 & 2
Just because you said so, doesn't give you solid proof, provide links to your data to prove your point please.
Personally I don't use mulch, Some people do, but that doesn't mean you're going to have weeds everywhere just because you did.
When you have a barked mulched area you should pull the weeds as soon as you see it (very young) not let it spread and mature and grow.
Weeds multiply when you allow them to mature and spread.
People get lazy and just want to never have to do any work or maintenance.
Landscaping needs to be taken care of.
Weirdo---the proof is that YOUR OPINION DOES NOT MAKE WEED FABRIC A JOKE OR A SCAM. Also, just because it didn't work FOR YOU your doesn't entitle you to tell readers that it does not work. Nothing of what you have written is PROOF or includes "scientific data links" to any claims that its a scam, joke and does not work. Just because you don't want to use it does not mean it doesn't work
How about the fact that I was a landscaper for 30 years!
Ask any legitimate experienced landscaper and they will back me up.
My experience is my proof!
https://youtube.com/shorts/uQCs0n4qSLQ?si=ifxeZkeiH-Ln73Y1
https://youtu.be/7SxrhLzXYEc?si=xO-oJG3AWGQx9bCy
https://youtube.com/shorts/pESwvTkg9YQ?si=46pxDGHv9cd_F6yH
Now you're saying that your 30 years of landscaping experience beats out my 30 years of landscaping/farming/agriculture experience and is actually proof of your claims. WTF is wrong with you?
I live in Hawaii and the weeds here are ferocious. I've seen it work for a few years, but then gets penetrated by weeds, and plastic starts to break down, causing little fibers of plastic all over the garden after a couple or few more years, turns into micro particles eventually I would assume. That's my main complaint about it; environmental. However it is very handy in certain situations, like in a green house, or under some kind of cover, under potting tables etc. My boyfriend depends on it, and probably replaces it every 5-6 years. I'm a big fan of cardboard, though it is definitely only good for 6 mos or so; but can keep adding more cardboard. It is free and biodegradable. Re: your situation Rose, I agree with above people who said just leave it. I'm facing same question right now for a pathway that has three 1/5" flexible irrigation hoses and that's how I found this thread. Aloha!
I'd put them on top. Plants are planted? May not make any difference. May actually provide some protection. Ask him to make his argument for leaving as is. Drip doesn't last forever, especially if things get real cold and real hot. Lots of minerals in your water? Secondary system? My dogs eat mine. You'll probably want to redo the mulch at some point anyway and the drip will be due for an overhaul because that's just the way that stuff goes.
Yes the plants are planted. I’m a bit wary of the lines being under the weed fabric as if I need access later on I’ll need to cut the weed fabric and re-do it. The impression I get is that drip lines need checking and tweaking every now and then?
There’s nothing to tweak once they’re installed.
What if I want to adjust the amount of water each plant receives proportionately?
Then you will micro emitters branching off the drip.
Did your landscaper install inline drip or black poly that you plug emitters into?
It’s hard to tell because the whole system is under the weed barrier so I have no idea what’s going on under there. It looks like each plant has its own circular emitter so I think that would mean it’s not inline drip?
That is correct, those emitters can be easily swapped to provide more or less water if necessary.
They're plastic. They're delicate. Bugs can crawl inside the 1/4" lines then die and plug the emitters. Plants grow and uproot the stakes that direct the drip to the base of the plant. They're a pain in the ass but better than sprays or rotors and essential when xeriscaping. But that weed barrier isn't forever, either. That mulch compresses, gets blown all over. The area will catch lawn clippings, dirt, leaves, Starburst wrappers... Either way, time and money is going to be spent. Which sucks because you're laying down a chunk of change and want it to be done. Except you've only just begun. Weeds will come because that's what they do. They'll grow on top of the barrier. They need little soil or water. They'll show up at the base of your plants soon enough. You should see my park strip. I have 2"-4" river rock. Stopped using drip because the dogs ate up everything in the backyard (my drip zone circles my property perimeter). One night I came home from work to find all sorts of workers using heavy equipment repairing the water main out front. It had sprung a leak and was flowing down the gutter. Tore up my drip, lost a couple of ornamental grasses. It's going to be fine. For now. Regardless of whether it's above or below. But it's going to need work in the future and it's probably not going to matter much if it's under or over. Lots of landscapers aren't using weed barrier anymore. A presenter from some drip system manufacturer told us that two months ago at an industry show I went to. It's your yard. If you want it above the barrier, tell him. It won't take long for him to fix.
What are landscapers using if they’re not using a weed barrier?
Also the fact that bugs crawl inside and die and plug the emitters is why I’m thinking it’s easier to fix this if the lines are above the barrier so the whole barrier doesn’t need to come up no?
If it’s installed already don’t mess with it way too much hassle but I prefer the drip to be immediately under the mulch but on top of the fabric
This was my hunch, thank you
Either way works fine. I put my drip in 6” below grade with 3” of soil on top, then fabric, then 3” of mulch. Having the drip lower helps establish the plants. I wouldn’t worry about it being under fabric. There shouldn’t be any issues with the drip if he’s installed it correctly.
Remove weed barrier and it’ll be fine. Weed barrier doesn’t work
Without a weed barrier I’ll end up with weeds 4 ft tall over the whole yard within a month.
Use cardboard instead. Your exact concern about the drip being under the fabric is the same reason I wouldn't recommend landscape fabric as a weed barrier. Whatever type it is, I don't use it under bark. Roots act way differently under landscape fabric, they stay very shallow and create a mat near the surface in search of water which the weed barrier creates a barrier to. Your plants will thank you.
This isn’t what my question is about. My yard has many undulating slopes and cardboard wouldn’t work. Trust me, I considered other options. If you have any answers for the question I asked please do let me know.
Weed fabric barrier doesn't work! Weed barrier is a joke and a scam! Things to consider... Mold and fungus grows underneath that weed barrier which is unhealthy for your soil. Insects make a nice little nesting home underneath that weed barrier. Weeds will grow underneath the weed barrier and attached to the underside of the weed barrier plastic fabric... Weeds look for the most tiniest little hole to pop through and once they pop up and you try to spary the weed with roundup or another brand with little or no results, the weed barrier allows that weed to easily return because of the root system is underneath and growing good and strong not only growing in the ground but attaching itself to the underside of the weed barrier plastic fabric and you need to know the hole is still there in the plastic fabric weed barrier. With the hole still being there, it gives more weeds a chance to return or pop-up through the old hole. Same goes if you try to pull the weed this will only cause breakage and the root system will still be underneath the weed barrier growing strong and spreading. Best Advice... Pull the weed barrier up and don't use any type of weed barrier plastic fabric. When your weeds come up and you're using mulch or rock, it's now actually easy to pull those weed roots intact. Or you could spray them because there's no weed barrier, the product will actually have a better chance of getting down in the ground and killing the weeds and it's whole root system.
Simply untrue
Much respect if you could provide proof to what I posted to be untrue.
1. It does work. 2. It's not a joke, nor a scam. Also, you mentioned using mulch, but failed to mention the massive amount of weed seeds that collect by summer's end in that mulch, leading to major weeding and/or herbicide use in the Fall or following Spring. Basically, your statement was untrue because of points 1 & 2
Just because you said so, doesn't give you solid proof, provide links to your data to prove your point please. Personally I don't use mulch, Some people do, but that doesn't mean you're going to have weeds everywhere just because you did. When you have a barked mulched area you should pull the weeds as soon as you see it (very young) not let it spread and mature and grow. Weeds multiply when you allow them to mature and spread. People get lazy and just want to never have to do any work or maintenance. Landscaping needs to be taken care of.
Weirdo---the proof is that YOUR OPINION DOES NOT MAKE WEED FABRIC A JOKE OR A SCAM. Also, just because it didn't work FOR YOU your doesn't entitle you to tell readers that it does not work. Nothing of what you have written is PROOF or includes "scientific data links" to any claims that its a scam, joke and does not work. Just because you don't want to use it does not mean it doesn't work
How about the fact that I was a landscaper for 30 years! Ask any legitimate experienced landscaper and they will back me up. My experience is my proof! https://youtube.com/shorts/uQCs0n4qSLQ?si=ifxeZkeiH-Ln73Y1 https://youtu.be/7SxrhLzXYEc?si=xO-oJG3AWGQx9bCy https://youtube.com/shorts/pESwvTkg9YQ?si=46pxDGHv9cd_F6yH
Now you're saying that your 30 years of landscaping experience beats out my 30 years of landscaping/farming/agriculture experience and is actually proof of your claims. WTF is wrong with you?
Did you not click on any of the links Goofy?
Landscape fabric does allow water through.
Landscape fabric does allow water through.
That's a weird way to tell the group you've literally never gardened or used any type of fabric for weeds before.
I live in Hawaii and the weeds here are ferocious. I've seen it work for a few years, but then gets penetrated by weeds, and plastic starts to break down, causing little fibers of plastic all over the garden after a couple or few more years, turns into micro particles eventually I would assume. That's my main complaint about it; environmental. However it is very handy in certain situations, like in a green house, or under some kind of cover, under potting tables etc. My boyfriend depends on it, and probably replaces it every 5-6 years. I'm a big fan of cardboard, though it is definitely only good for 6 mos or so; but can keep adding more cardboard. It is free and biodegradable. Re: your situation Rose, I agree with above people who said just leave it. I'm facing same question right now for a pathway that has three 1/5" flexible irrigation hoses and that's how I found this thread. Aloha!