You are certainly right about the landscape fabric.
3 years ago I bought a 10 X 100’ roll - mowed the grass really close and put it down with ground staples. I have tried several crops on it and it works beautifully. This past year I put 200 tomatoes without staking. Harvested about 2 tons of tomatoes - next year I will stake them - sun scald was pretty bad with them spread out.
It looks like it will last at least 5 years. I put drip irrigation tape down next to the plant row and put it on a timer - can’t get any better or easier. I bought a 15 X 300’ roll this last fall and will be adding that for this summer. As I get older, the tilling, weeding, and mulching is getting harder on these old bones. ;) This is something I will definitely expand on and will be trying several other crops this year. Need to work up a rotation to keep disease and pests down. It warms the soil much earlier and gives me at least a two week jump on the crop (I always rush planting too early and have to replant sometimes anyway).
The roll cost $389 that with a 5 year life would be $77.80 per year for a 45X100’ weedless garden and no tilling. Or, about 2 cents a square foot per year
I only use it for transplants - haven’t worked out how to use it for direct seeded items yet.
Just driving by to say I HAVE TOMATO SEEDLINGS UP!!! They’re my first ever tomato seeds to actually sprout!!!! and i think i have a couple of pepper sprouts too but i had to come in the house to get my reading glasses so i can tell.