I've had woven geotextile down for about four years now, and honestly, weeds still find their way through eventually. It's not terrible, but definitely noticeable after a couple seasons. Doubling layers might help short-term, but I wonder if it'd just trap more moisture and debris between layers, creating a cozy spot for weeds to root anyway? Maybe consider a heavier-duty non-woven fabric instead—it's thicker and seems to hold up better long-term in my experience.
- Totally agree on the woven fabric—I've seen weeds poke through mine after just a couple years.
- Doubling layers sounds tempting, but you're right, moisture buildup between layers could actually encourage more weed growth.
- Non-woven fabric is thicker and tougher, but can be pricier upfront...still, probably worth it long-term.
Had similar issues with woven fabric myself—ended up switching to non-woven a few years back. Definitely pricier upfront, but haven't had weeds poking through since. Curious though, anyone notice drainage differences between the two types?
"Definitely pricier upfront, but haven't had weeds poking through since."
Haha, I feel you on the weeds—those little buggers always find a way. I switched to non-woven myself a while back, and honestly, drainage-wise, I haven't noticed a huge difference. Maybe a slight slowdown during heavy rains, but nothing major enough to cause pooling or anything. I did notice that woven fabric seemed to let water through quicker initially, but once it got clogged with dirt and roots... forget about it.
Funny story though—I once had tenants who thought the fabric was some kind of decorative matting and pulled it all up to "clean" underneath. Came home to find my carefully laid setup rolled neatly in the corner and weeds already plotting their comeback tour. Lesson learned: label everything clearly or risk tenant DIY disasters.
Anyway, your rain harvesting project sounds awesome—stick with it, it'll pay off in the long run.
"Funny story though—I once had tenants who thought the fabric was some kind of decorative matting and pulled it all up to 'clean' underneath."
Haha, that's classic. I've seen similar DIY disasters myself. Agree on the woven stuff clogging up eventually—non-woven's definitely less hassle long-term, even if drainage isn't perfect.