Among our least favorite chores is weeding. This likely stems from one Carey brother as a child being employed as chief gardener for an aunt with an elaborate flower garden.

While her home would be considered modest by most standards, there was nothing average about her garden. It was her passion, and was surrounded by countless large trees, plants, ornamental shrubs, decorative hanging baskets, stately hedges, four lush lawns and a "Versailles-like" rose garden. It goes without saying that a garden of this magnitude required constant care. That meant that three days each week after school, all day Saturdays and summer vacations were committed to work in her garden. A day's work might include mowing, edging, trimming, pruning, fertilizing, raking leaves, watering and the dread weeding.

There were always weeds to pull somewhere in that garden. The rose garden was most prone to weeds. It consisted of six separate beds, each of which contained a dozen or so rose bushes. The beds were symmetrically laid out, surrounded by concrete paths and set off by a multi-tiered fountain.

The weeds would become so thick at times that no soil was visible, and frequently the rose bushes would be hidden. What we didn't know then was that weeds are not simply an ugly eyesore; they battle plants, shrubs and trees for water and essential nutrients.

Today, there is a cost-effective and environmentally sound alternative to the old-fashioned way of dealing with weeds a hoe or bare hands. In fact, it's a process that professional landscapers have used for years landscape fabric.

Landscape fabric is a barrier designed to prevent the growth of weeds present in the soil. It is produced either by weaving synthetic fibers together at right angles (woven) or by bonding short or continuously spun fibers together through heat bonding, needle-punching, spin bonding or other processes (non-woven).

Most applications involve the fabric being applied directly on top of the soil and then overlaid with ground cover or other decorative coverings such as mulch, bark chips, gravel or stone. Aside from keeping weeds at bay, the fabric helps prevent the decorative covering from deteriorating by keeping them separate from the soil.

Many green-thumbers have tried plastic sheeting only to be disappointed by the results. What many have found is that plastic sheeting tears easily, disintegrates and often results in "sour soil". This is in sharp contrast to landscape fabrics which breathe, allowing air and water to pass through. This is especially important on hilly areas where, with sheet plastic, water produced by rain or sprinklers can be trapped, washing away decorative mulch or other ornamental coverings.

Landscape fabric is also good for the environment. One of the traditional ways of dealing with weeds is through the use of potentially hazardous chemical herbicides. Families with small children or pets, now more than ever, are taking steps to limit the use of products around the house and garden that contain toxic chemicals.

For many parts of the country the last decade has been one of drought which has, in many cases, resulted in water rationing. In situations such as this, more often than not, landscaping is the first element to suffer, frequently creating a wasteland. Although landscape fabric can't make rain, it can slow down the evaporation process and result in less frequent waterings. This not only saves water, in a drought it can save a garden.

Landscape fabric is affordable, easy to use and can be installed around trees, ground cover and decorative plants and shrubs. For more information about landscape fabric call Easy Gardener toll-free at 1-800-327-9462.