Question of the Week: Weeds through the weed barrier!

Q: I laid down a new weed barrier and added fresh gravel a few months ago, but now I see some weeds sprouting. Wasn't the weed barrier supposed to prevent this?

A: The weed barrier does indeed prevent weeds from growing, but it doesn't completely eliminate them. The weeds you're seeing are what we call "surface weeds." They manage to grow on top of the weed barrier and push through the gravel.

This usually happens when weed seeds find their way onto the gravel's surface. These seeds can be carried by the wind or brought in by birds. While they take root on top of the weed barrier, the good news is that they are relatively easy to pull out.

Another situation where this might occur is if you chose to reuse old gravel after putting in new weed barrier.

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