"Vir Campestris" wrote ...

Many years ago someone put a shrubbery in our garden. It had weed control
fabric, and I suspect a layer of bark chipping over the top.

I've just moved one of the shrubs - it is now overshadowed.

The bark mulch has mixed with many years of leaves to make a couple of
inches of quite nice compost. The shrubs have spotted this, and put roots
in it. There are also a variety of smaller plants growing in it.

Underneath the fabric the ground is clay. It's had no worm activity in
years, and has set to a hard pan similar to subsoil.

It took me nearly an hour to dig out one small shrub (roots 50cm across,
20cm deep) followed by having to tease out the weed control fabric layer.
It's no longer completely root proof, and there are some roots going
through it.


That's normal for any weed control fabric. Recently had to help a friend
move two camellias that had been planted through mypex. Same as you found,
the roots had actually preferred to go across the top of the fabric into the
mulch/leaf litter and spread out.
I've also seen allotments almost ruined by the use of old carpet where it's
been left so long it's partially rotted and weeds have grown through it
making it impossible to pull up, days of work to just get to the ground,
allotmenteers put off before they start. I always tell people to use
cardboard instead, at least it rots down if left.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK