DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

Remulching my yard is NOT an option, other suggestions? PICS

8K views 20 replies 10 participants last post by  herbolaryo 
#1 ·
I bought my first home last year and yard was beautifully landscaped. The lawn is 24K sq ft. In the backyard, there are two huge areas where some trees and plants grow which were nicely mulched. Now, most of the mulch has broken down. I need to remulch the areas, the problem is, one is 48x20 and the other is 40x25. This, plus the front of the house which is another 500sq ft. It would cost me $41/ cu yard for hemlock and EVEN if I only put down 2" on top of what is left there now it will cost $600 delivered. No way can I do that. For 3" we are talking $1000. I need alternative ideas. I like the areas, I don't think I want to just plant grass around them. I could greatly reduce the size of the mulch, but I think it might look funny. Other suggestions? Cost is a major factor - I'm very new to landscape. Thanks.

Here is a picture showing the two areas, I can get better ones later.
 

Attachments

See less See more
2
#9 ·
Thanks, unfortunately It doesn't look quite the way it is in those pics - the mulch areas have broken down significantly more than that and are haboring weeds like crazy. I have to do something. But the greenspace really is nice, regardless as is the peace and quite and tranquility. Its 24K sq of green and the woods are 5 miles deep!

These are my friends all summer long
 

Attachments

#6 ·
$3,600 / 10 years = $360/year < $600/year



Personally, I'm not in the market for that amount of mulch, so I can't say I've considered it myself. If you look at the benes, it's eco friendly and:

Made from 100% recycled tires
Environmentally safe & sensitive (does not consume forest resources)
All colors are non-toxic, HAPS-free & non-staining
Exclusive Microban Protection
Non-harmful to children, pets or animals
Will not attract termites or Insects like other mulches
Saves time and money every year by replacing the need for annually mulching
Long-lasting, vibrant colors will retain its look year after year
Available In Vibrant Colors To Match Your Landscape
Heavier and more durable than other mulch materials
Will not float away in heavy rain or blow away with the wind
Protects against mosquito nesting, rubber mulch remains dry on top
Insulates root systems from harsh winter weather
Acts as a weed barrier with a 2" or greater application
Helps retain vital moisture in the ground for plants, shrubs and trees
Excellent drainage for use around plants and flowerbeds
Colors resist fading, decomposition and leaching

Since he lives in a wooded area, maybe he should invest in a chipper/shredder, and go to town with his back to the woods? Make your own mulch with leaves and sticks.
 
#7 ·
Handy - you absolutely are correct, the overall scheme is definitely positive. Ammortized over the 10 year life of the material, its actually cheap. However, a dollar today..... I just don't have the money to invest right now. I can't believe 2" of bark mulch costs $600.... Thanks a lot for the suggestions so far.
 
#8 ·
mulch magic...

We have some stuff at the golf course its called mulch magic. You spray it on the old mulch to bring it new life. So if you order just some of the mulch to mix in with a rake you could spray that stuff on there to even out the spread. good luck.

i'm in the opposite end of the spectrum. Moved into a house where 500 sq ft is all mulch instead of grass because the old owners had dogs that ruined the grass. now we're trying to regrass so i tried the lazy version and grassed the 6 inches of mulch. but its coming in really thin. so we'll see...but i dont think there is enough nutrient and its a bit droughty... who knows..
-chris
 
#15 ·
I would think twice about the rubber mulch.

It is super expensive and does not put nutrients into the soil. More importantly, after a year or so, the rubber mulch will be covered with leaves and pine needles. Do you really want rubber in your yard forever?

A neighbor across my street bought the rubber mulch last year. She put natural mulch on top this year because of the reasons mentioned above.

Good Luck
 
#17 ·
I know its hard to tell from thoes pictures, I need to take better ones. But does anyone think it will look bad if I filled each area with lawn and just did individual 4 foot diameter circles around each tree and the flag pole? That would be only around 75 sq feet and cost well under $100.
 
#18 ·
J187,

I can’t help you with your mulch situation, but I would like to warn you about that candle that is sitting on your deck rail. We had a couple of those on one of our deck rails and the sun melted them enough so when it rained, we wound up with a nice wax coating on that rail that did not come off until we stripped it.

You have an excellent space to work with – good luck!
 
#19 ·
How about regular wood chips? A tree service may be able to drop off a couple loads to you for next to nothing. I used my buddies chipper/shredder 2 years ago for a 45' maple tree I fell in my yard. I burned the trunk and large pieces in the fireplace and used the chips for mulch. 2 Years, still very little to no weeds.


BTW - "Go Sox!"
 
#21 · (Edited)
I am not an expert gardener but have seen some houses with similar landscaping.

My suggestion is to put a profession weed blocker cloth ;

Then since you have 5 miles of trees around. Rent/Buy a mulcher/shredder then just collect dead trees and branches to shred and put it above the weed block cloth.
Then once a year rejuvinate the wood chip mulch... there are ways for doing such.

The weed block cloth lasts a very long time and costco has it so you can save.

Or you can just buy or gather around the area decorative stones or pebbles...


Still some houses I have seen put sturdy deer resistant flowers around.

Still some house have a "clay" soil. I am not sure what it is called but it resists weeds and good for erosion control.

P.S. If those are pine trees, the pine needles make excellent natural mulch to block off weed... You can also use them OR a combination of what I mentioned above

Hope this helps...
 
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