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To reduce landscaping costs, you can implement several strategies at every stage. Consider doing the work yourself (DIY) to save on professional labor fees. You can also repurpose existing features and materials from other home projects. When purchasing new items, choose more inexpensive materials and opt for softscaping over hardscaping where possible. Another effective method is to buy young plants or plant from seed, which is more cost-effective than purchasing mature plants.

Gravel’s biggest pro is its cost-effectiveness. For example, a gravel road or driveway is much more affordable than its asphalt counterpart. Gravel is also much less expensive than the cost of pouring a concrete slab if you’re building a patio or similar structure.

However, regarding comfort and convenience, gravel is far less foot-friendly than smoother substances like concrete or asphalt. It’s also more of a challenge to drive on and may kick up dust, resulting in the inevitable need for extra car washes. Lastly, there’s a chance it might move with rain or snow.

Yes, you need to use landscape fabric under your rubber mulch. Rubber mulch doesn’t decompose, so putting landscape fabric down can work as a barrier between your mulch and soil, preventing your mulch from mixing with your soil and leaching chemicals like aluminum, cadmium, and copper into it. Also, since weeds can occasionally get through rubber mulch, using landscape fabric as a second form of protection can increase its effectiveness. 

Generally, you want the soil for your edible plants to have good drainage, organic matter for nutrients, a loose texture (like loam soil), and a balanced pH level. However, the type of plants you're growing will dictate the exact characteristics your soil needs to thrive. For example, brussels sprout prefers more acidic soil, while broccoli prefers more alkaline soil.