DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

Mulch crazy! Need some advice!

2K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  robs660 
#1 ·
I'm a new homeowner, and the previous owners must have loved mulch. I mean REALLY loved mulch. There's so much mulch around the "landscaping" I could scream. I'm going to be hauling away loads of it, and bringing the mulch much closer to the house. My only issue is this:

Mulch in landscaping has that "slope" effect to where it meets the grass. I'm going to be raking out that slope to make it flush with the grass, but my "new" mulch perimeter now needs that slope effect.

Do I need an "edger" tool, or will a flat shovel suffice? This is for landscaping around my actual house, so I want to make sure it looks good. Also, weeds grow in this mulch like crazy. Would you suggest I haul ALL the mulch and put something down underneath it to curb the weed growth, or would that be more trouble than it's worth?

Thanks for reading!
 
#2 ·
When you say too much just how thick do you mean? wood chips will break down over time. The previous owner probably put them there for point of sale. The debate continues over whether landscape fabric is a good thing or a pita. Me, I'd leave the whole thing alone, except I like a nice clean and deep defining edge in my gardens. Is that what you mean by slope?
 
#3 ·
No, this mulch isn't fresh it's been here for a while. I always think mulch around the perimeter of a house looks great, but this is too much. All I'm doing is taking the mulch back toward the house a bit so it doesn't stick out so far.

By slope I mean that the mulch is actually higher than ground level, and it slopes gently toward the ground where it touches the edge of the grass. This is extremely standard, and just about every home with mulch surrounding it has this "slope."

Edit: Sorry if I'm not explaining good enough. I'll add a picture tomorrow so it'll make more sense what I'm talking about.
 
#5 ·
He's the deal with mulch. Pile it up againt the foundation and your going to be holding in water in the last place you what it to say. It causes damp basements, or wet crawl spaces which can cause mold and fungus to grow under the house. At also attacts Termites. Termites need moist earth to make mud tunnels.

You need it around your other landscaping so it needs less watering, contols weeds, keeps the weed wacker and lawn mower away from the bush or tree.

Use cypruss or cedar mulch so it does not rot, for mold, will not break down and make great furtilizer for weeds like hardwood will, will not decompose like hardwood, it also repells insects.

A level of no more the 4" of mulch is all that needed.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top