As much of a struggle as it can be to keep a natural grass lawn lush and healthy, grass can flourish well on its own when conditions are exactly right – whether you want it to or not. In fact, without any boundaries or protection measures in place, grass will grow through natural mulch and even through the wood placed in carefully landscaped garden beds.
How does grass grow through mulch? Well, grass seeds, as well as the seeds of other types of weeds, can germinate and grow roots easily in the climate created by the mulch. Mulch, even in layers, is still a permeable material which leaves small spaces (or holes) for grass to grow through.
If you’re trying to stop grass from growing through the mulch of your home’s landscape, there are a couple of hacks you can try:
- Lay down a landscape fabric or geotextile (a permeable fabric) beneath the mulch. This will absorb rainfall but block out most of the sunlight. Keeping out most of the sunlight will inhibit natural grass from being able to grow.
- Edge (or create trenches) around garden beds to keep grass in your lawn from sending roots into the garden bed.
- Weed regularly from the root to minimize the number of seeds that fall into the mulch and germinate.
However, even if you use all three of these hacks, there’s no foolproof way to prevent weeds or grass from growing through your carefully mulched garden beds. Wind, birds, and other critters can drag weed and grass seeds through your landscape, minimizing the effects of your careful lawn care.
If keeping grass out of your garden beds has proven a persistent problem for you, even after trying the three hacks we’ve outlined here, we recommend consulting a local landscaping professional. They can fully assess the situation and help you develop the right solution for your yard. For more information about your weed issue, contact us here.
