Laying down mulch. Advice?

[MagicMarker]

So I've neglected my planting beds for the past 2 years. In this time, weeds and such have taken over. I've been skimming the top inch to get rid of old mulch and weeds. Then replacing it with ~ 2-3 inches of fresh mulch. Adding newspaper as a weed barrier.

My uncle tells me to not do extra work. Spray down the weeds with roundup and then drop mulch. I'd love to make less work for myself.

What do you guys think? Spray roundup and cover with mulch while wet? This method would save me a lot of time and work.

Here's what 8 cu/yd of mulch looks like:



Before photo where it shows how weeds and others took over the bed and how I skimmed off the top inch and cut a new edge:

 

[Ehcrain]

Cardboard would work faster than newspaper and last longer for sure., Just avoid the super glossy cardboard.

 

[Kaizen]

spray roundup a few times. do it on a day that it can dry/absorb. come back when all dead and weedwack the garbage out. spray one last time if you have anything new coming up. then cover with preferably 4 inches of mulch. I try and use cedar as I was told it will break down and feed better. you'll have weeds top root but can be pulled easy or if its a noxious weed spray roundup. I have a stupid amount of planting beds and no way do I want to sit and weed them so this is what I do. remember in that soil are millions of weed seeds just waiting for sun to hit them to grow. The 2nd year you can just rake around the top layer of mulch to aerate it and give it the fresh applied look.

 

[545_days]

It depends on how much damage overspray will do to the plants you are not trying to kill with Roundup. As windy as it is here near the Gulf Coast, overspray really limits my ability to spray Roundup. Also I find many weeds need to be repeatedly hit with Roundup before they give up the ghost.

I have had good luck with wearing a Roundup soaked glove over a nitrile glove and rubbing it directly on weeds near sensitive plants.

 

[Mark118]

After decades of the yearly mulch ritual, complete with weeding, spraying, removing, replacing etc., the last straw was an infestation of shotgun fungus. Stripped out the mulch, put down landscaping fabric & covered it with a beautiful color-mix of pea gravel. After a couple of seasons, it looks great, virtually maintenance free & seems permanent.

 

[RECox286]

Green side up ?

Uncle Bob

 

[tjdux]

After decades of the yearly mulch ritual, complete with weeding, spraying, removing, replacing etc., the last straw was an infestation of shotgun fungus. Stripped out the mulch, put down landscaping fabric & covered it with a beautiful color-mix of pea gravel. After a couple of seasons, it looks great, virtually maintenance free & seems permanent.

I have dont the same thing but skipped the landscape fabric for lumber tarps. Lumber tarps are just cheap heavy plastic.

My issue with landscape fabric from the big box store is that it breaks down over time and eventually grass and weeds root through the water pores and it becomes useless.

My landscape fabric was super low maintenance too the first couple years. Then more and more maintenance then bam had a kid and made no time to keep up with the yard work that first year and then never caught up. Fast forward to last year scrape up all the rock i can, dig up some dirt lay down tarps and a whoke bunch of new rock (i like #2 river rock)

Now this summers project is to move all the rock away from my "long lasting" cedar landscape timbers and replace them with concrete retaining wall blocks.

Low maintence landscaping is not a real thing lol.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[theoldwizard1]

Roundup has to be absorbed into the plant through the leaves to work. This usually take about 3 days. Longer if the day and/or nights are cool.

The primary goal of mulch to to retain moisture, secondary is to prevent weed growth. Third is to look nice. Newspaper/cardboard work well at #1 and #2 and if covered with wood chips, they solve #3. I use newspaper and grass clippings around my tomatoe plants. A pain to lay down, but I have not weeded in decades. Of course I have to repeat the process every year.

Any wood product in contact with the ground will attract ants and possibly termites and it will eventually deteriorate and be replaced IMHO, a better solution is purchase good quality/professional grade landscape fabric and then cover it with decorative rock. If you don't have a border for your beds, you probably need to remove 2"-4" of top soil before laying down the landscape cloth.

Be generous with the rock, 2"-4". You are only going to do this ONCE !

 

[Git]

Here is a question - do you buy it by the bag or get it bulk from a place like a nursery?

Last time I mulched our yard I took advantage of one of the sales at Lowes - something like 5 bags for $10. Once we got it home it was real easy to just load the bags on our utility cart, take it exactly to where we needed it, cut the bag open and dump it out. It made it real easy to spread and to get a uniform thickness. I would definitely do it that way again instead of using a pickup or getting a trailer load.

I just checked and it is currently on sale at $2 per bag for 2 cu ft
https://www.lowes.com/pl/Mulch-rock-soil-Outdoors/4294612794

 

[ard]

IMO the newspaper will be mulch for weeds to root into in two years- don't bother.

I've used thousands of feet of commercial heavy landscape fabric- not the big box stuff. Then redwood bark, or gravel or stone on top. (I've lined all my seasonal drainage ways with fabric, then cobbles/stones.). However, over time, leaves fall and mulch happens. I find that 5-8 years later there is enough organic material for wind blown weed seeds to re-establish. In some areas I've used pre-emergent granules, other areas jsut roundup.

While at it.... What do people use for holding mulch and bark on hillsides??? I've used a real heavy Jute mesh, like 2" openings with a very rough/sloppy jute twine- staple it to the ground and this gives enough friction to hold the bark. After a while it all kinda locks down. But...once the jute rots, it's over. 5 years. Any ideas?

 

[SuperCat]

I haven't figured out what to do with mulch either, other than put weed screen underneath and put it on really deep, like 6 inches or more. I do know what not to do, at least here in Sacramento: do not put plastic tarps or other plastic sheeting under the mulch or river rock. Why? The ants love it because it is protected from the rain water/flooding. I had to remove all the plastic the previous homeowner installed, all around the yard, to slow down the ant problem. Haven't solved that problem yet.

 

[C2 Turbo]

Much is a very high regular maintenance. I would do rock once, expensive yes but totally maintanance free. Do it once and be done with it.

 

[58Yeoman]

Last week, we bought a full pallet of mulch at Menards where it was the cheapest in the area at $2.50 per bag. We spread that, then found that we still needed more. Back to Menard's with the 11% sale, and bought 40 more bags, which were on sale for $1.97. We then presented our sales slip from last week for the pallet full. The girl "returned" all 70 bags at $2.50, then sold us the 70 for $1.97, giving us yet another 11% rebate. We really came out ahead on that deal.

We've tried the bulk mulch from the nursery at around $70 for a yard and a half. It doesn't come in colors, and then we had to load the wagon and haul it around in the yard. Like someone said earlier, it's easier to haul the bags to where you want them. And, this time we got red, which actually looks like bright brown when we put it down. We quit using landscape fabric; just put it right on the ground.

 

[Matt M PA]

We too put down fabric and stone. No more mulch for us....

 

[scottmoyer]

Putting in rock is not a once and done project. When I lived in Minnesota, the builder put plastic down, with 1/2" rock on top. It looked great and was weed free for the 6 years I lived in the house. Fast forward to Central Florida...I tried the same scenario at my new house and weeds were growing on top of the rocks within 1 year. It got so bad, I needed to pull it all up and try something else. Ive been doing the Home Depot/Lowes Cypress mulch for the past 10 years now. Not weed free, but it's really cut down on 'em and is easy to maintain. I just put down 100 bags last week.

 

[Greeny]

I have skipped a year of mulch application on occasion. Did just last year, so this year I have grass and weeds coming up already. I don't bother with pulling them, just put down about 4 inches of mulch right over the top. It will kill off 99% of it, and in a week or two the odd survivor that pops up is easy to pull because the roots are now in moist, loose soil. I also don't use wood mulch, too many fungi/mushrooms. I use leaf mulch. It works just as well for weed control, is cheap and easy to handle, and doesn't sprout mushrooms and other fungi. This is ground up dry leaves that are already beginning to break down. It's at least partly compost already. If it's not available free (sometimes the county dumps huge piles for the public to use), it's very affordable. Around $30 for a full size pickup load. We get a full truck load, scrape a manageable pile out of the truck onto a free HF tarp, and drag it to where it's needed. Dump it off the tarp onto the flower bed and spread it around. Repeat. It continues to break down and feeds the flowers and trees.

 

[MagicMarker]

Wow.. lots of great advice and real world experience. I already bought 8 yds of mulch from a local reputable guy that everyone uses. As far as mulch goes... it's clean and no real trash debris or oversized bark. I've read where some of those big box bagged mulch have lots of poorly shredded pallet wood.

At any rate, I like the idea of skipping the newspaper and just drowning existing weeds in mulch and pulling out the survivors. I'll be sure to show photos later. Of course it's drizzling now and I won't be able to get much progress done today after work.

 

[mobiledynamics]

The cheap/cheaper stuff is the dyed wood....

I prefer bark. Granted, the only weed areas is the area were we have annual flowowers/dirt that get's moved....etc. Every spring, I do a short weed of any small ones that have popped up. Let the sun kill them. Mulch early right after the soil warms up a bit and I see the bulb greens coming out.

Then later when I plant annuals, add more mulch afterwards.
Anything else that shoots up, I have long handled diamond hoe that I use to just deal with those.

 

[Moose364]

I use the round-up weed and grass killer. even in my garden before I mulch and have no problems with it killing my other plants, and if some grass poke's up out of the mulch I give it a shot of round-up and yes to the mulch in the Bag over bulk mulch and I even have a tractor with a front end loaded and still hate the mulch in bulk.

 

[mobiledynamics]

bags are so much better...just drag, cut and dump

Who want's to shovel and wheelbarrow...
Too bad the big box stores around here never have bark on sale.
Dyed mulch...yes.
Bark - never,

 

[Farrier]

Gloves! I never wear gloves, but when moving a lot of bark, I wear gloves. If not, you'll be plucking a gazillion tiny little ******* splinters out of your hands.

 

[mobiledynamics]

Bark is regional - I suppose redwood is more popular in ur neck of town.

Pine bark aplenty - sans gloves. don't recall any splinters.

 

[Kevin54]

For ones putting down mulch, skip the weed-guard. The asphalt like fabric that you get in 3' rolls. We had it down one year, went around all of the flowerbeds and trees before mulching. We probably lost $600 worth of perennials because of it. If it gets soaked underneath, it won't let the ground dry out enough and it brings the roots of the plants to the top surface. Then we had voles, and shrews, plus most likely other insects that would gnaw the plants right at the top of the ground. Then you get hair roots coming up through the weed-guard, plus any weeds will grow down through it. Also it doesn't deteriorate. So you are stuck later on with old weed-guard that you can't get out of the ground.

As far as mulch, we put ours 2"-3" thick around all of the flowers. This year is our mulch year. The last time it took two dump truck loads.

 

[MagicMarker]

I'm sitting on half an acre and lots of large beds to cover... I'm pretty sure I over ordered, but will give it away to neighbors for any leftovers.

 

[Radix2]

Weed block under mulch does not work - as the mulch breaks down, weeds just root above it. Under rock it works better, but you have to prevent all organic matter from getting in the rock, or you get the same deal, not happening here.

I have a house that actually has beautiful and basically maintenance free extensive beds. What it has are beds full of established packysandra, vinca, and other ground covers. The plants are strong enough that they keep out the grass and weeds and they tolerate what leaves and junk fall on them with only a bit of leaf blowing as clean up. I didn't put these in, but in 15 years they still look perfect, the bed size stays stable because the mower cuts the cover down in favor of the grass. Really pretty amazing. The plants balance based on sunlight between the various ground covers - some spots one some the other some mixed - it look like someone did ton of work, but it is all natural.

I have another house with the mulch, and am transplanting some of the plants to see if I can replicate it. Big plants like shrubs and hosta just grow above the ground covers and look nice.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Much is a very high regular maintenance. I would do rock once, expensive yes but totally maintanance free. Do it once and be done with it.

Wrong

I don't use fabric either I hate it. Preen or snapshot after laying mulch does wonders

 

[Eslader]

The thing I don't like about Roundup is that it will kill plants you want to keep, too, if you get a little careless with the sprayer. Also, depending on where you live, herbicides in general may not be recommended - I live on water and if I used it I'd kill all the frogs, for example.

We've had good luck with a good thick layer of mulch and a weed patrol every day or two. Only takes 10-15 minutes for the whole yard.

 

[jhelrey]

Preen, then mulch. Don't put anything under it as mulch will decompose and you'll have **** growing in it anyways.

 

[ironman70]

Screw Round-up...

1 gal. of vinegar
2 cups of Espson salt
1/4 cup of blue Dawn dish soap

winner winner...

 

[Nexussian]

I haven't figured out what to do with mulch either, other than put weed screen underneath and put it on really deep, like 6 inches or more. I do know what not to do, at least here in Sacramento: do not put plastic tarps or other plastic sheeting under the mulch or river rock. Why? The ants love it because it is protected from the rain water/flooding. I had to remove all the plastic the previous homeowner installed, all around the yard, to slow down the ant problem. Haven't solved that problem yet.

Here's one way to "deal" with ants.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Fast forward to Central Florida...I tried the same scenario at my new house and weeds were growing on top of the rocks within 1 year.

What is your theory behind that failure ?

Poor quality "barrier" ?
Not enough rock ?
Too much dirt blown into the rock allowing weeds to sprout ?

 

[EOC_Jason]

I get nice screened composted mulch from the city facility, it's $8 a cubic yard. If you want raw wood mulch it's free all you want.

Anyhow, the bed of my 3/4-ton fits 2 cu yds with room to spare. Sure it takes a little more work shoveling but this stuff is awesome. I put it in my flower beds, around my trees, and even use it in my garden and don't even bother buying topsoil or mixing with anything else.

I also de-weed and then put down preen and it keeps my flowerbed looking nice all summer / fall... You can buy preen in the off-season when it goes on clearance pretty cheap. It's about as lazy as you can get but you have to put it on early before weeds start germinating.

 

[Reg1952]

All mulch composts down. And if its on top of any type of barrier things start to grow on top. The more mulch added the more compost your making the more things will grow on top. And mulch is the number one reasons termites spread. If the company in grinding the mulch in an area of termites they go in the bag with the mulch then to your front yard. I used crush red bricks over my landscape fabric. One time purchase.No breaking down and just wash off with a hose to freshin up.

 

[WhiffySpark]

What is your theory behind that failure ?

Poor quality "barrier" ?
Not enough rock ?
Too much dirt blown into the rock allowing weeds to sprout ?

Barrier honestly doesn't stop anything. It will germinate on top of it.

The only barrier I've heard of working is tyvek under rocks. and that's to keep them from sinking. Doesn't stop weeds

 

[Whitworth]

Landscape fabric is god aweful. The added expense and labor, and who wants what amounts to a pool cover buried in their front yard? Considering most weed seeds that germinate come from above, after landscape fabric is installed, (airborne, bird poop, dog poop, or carried by lawn equipment), it doesn't even do what it's supposed to.

I'd just spread the mulch thick, 6 inches or more, this will prevent germination of most weed seed buried underneath, then spot treat with Round Up as stragglers emerge on top of the mulch.

 

[WhiffySpark]

6 inches is way too much. We use 2 at the most. They recommend 3-4 but you have mulch under old mulch

 

[Want2race]

Roundup doesn't work on non leaf surfaces. So just spraying the bed is worthless.. save your roundup

 

[n20junkie]

It depends on how much damage overspray will do to the plants you are not trying to kill with Roundup. As windy as it is here near the Gulf Coast, overspray really limits my ability to spray Roundup. Also I find many weeds need to be repeatedly hit with Roundup before they give up the ghost.

I have had good luck with wearing a Roundup soaked glove over a nitrile glove and rubbing it directly on weeds near sensitive plants.

Cover stuff you want with garbage bags, go all jihad on the weeds then mulch over them after they die.

 

[ProfessorTexas]

I adopted a new rule several years ago -- no mulch anywhere near a building. I discovered I was breeding termites which then feasted on the house.

Your results may vary.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Hi Magicmarker! the daylilies I got from you are doing well. Newspaper won't block weeds and it will attract termites. As previously mentioned. Roundup is for direct leaf contact. You need to seriously attack the weeds manually, lay a weed block fabric and mix in some sort of a pre-emergent weed killer to the mulch.

Tommy