While landscape fabric will kill most existing plants and grasses by blocking the sunlight they need for photosynthesis, it's designed to be safely installed around your desirable, established plants, such as shrubs and trees. For existing shrubs or trees, you simply cut a slit in the fabric and fit it carefully around the base of the plant, laying it on the soil to cover the surrounding bed. This allows the fabric to do its primary job of suppressing weed growth, which reduces competition for water and nutrients.
As long as you use a high-quality, permeable fabric, your established plants will continue to thrive as their root systems still receive the essential air and water they need.
