A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Mulch alternative

Hi,
I am new to this forum and need some helpful advice. I have established borders all around my house. The ground is covered with plastic...not the best idea, but what's done is done. On top of the plastic is hardwood mulch. This mulch degrades each year and something more permanent has to be out there. If I add more mulch, the composted mulch below makes a good place for weeds. I am an old gal with physical limitations and no deep pockets. My plan is to remove the mulch, leave the plastic and put something permanent on top. My problem is what would be the best choice. Those round rocks are too heavy for me to fool with. I have seen a nice brown gravel, but am afraid it is dyed and will fade. Anyone with a solution or even an idea...please respond.

Thanks

Hi Betsy, i really would consider taking out the plastic. It is so bad for soil. If you put the hardwood mulch on more thickly, it should last longer. The stuff i use i get a few years out of it.
The best mulch of all is a living mulch, ie a groundcover plant. Maybe find a low growing plant and use it to fill the gaps and you may never need to add mulch again. Grown from cuttings or seed the price is right.

I agree remove the plastic!! Is it bad that I don't use a mulch at all? Just dirt. I do put composted manure in the beds every year and it seems to work well. I don' like the wood because it is difficult to plant in,and I get splinters from it..

After you remove the plastic and before you apply mulch, sprinkle Preen all over your garden. Not only will it keep weeds from germinating, it will fertilize your garden. Warning: Be sure to read the label before purchasing as Preen comes with and without fertilizer added. You want the latter.

Where i live, Preen is something you spray on clothes to take out stains. What the heck is Preen???

In answer to my own question, i just googled it. As you do.

From here:
http://www.preen.com/newpreen/prdpreenfert/index.jsp

"The Preen Garden weed Preventer Plus Fertilizer chemical interferes with the cell division process in the root tip of the weed seeds."

Reckon i'll pass and stick to my mulch.

I would recommend removing the plastic also as it is horrid for your soil. Ground cover would probably be your best option. So, my idea that would work for your budget and help your soil is this:
1. Buy some ground cover, there are many to choose from. Find one that is "hardy" in your growing zone.
2. Remove the plastic!! To prevent weeds after removing the plastic, put down a couple of layers of newspaper or brown paper bags. These should be shredded and used similar to mulch. However, it would be easier to plant your ground cover in it. As the paper begins to degrade, it will add to your soil, but by the time it completely degrades, your ground cover should be thriving.

I have also seen people use several layers of aquarium gravel...but...I don't know if that is something I would personally do. Best of luck.
Ali

i agree! get rid of that plastic!!!

groundcover is the way to go! there are plenty out there !!

for sunny spots

for shady spots

my personal favs are vinca for sunny and lamium for shady.

Just wondering, I have a 1 ft border around my house also with heavy plastic covered with crush rock. It's to keep weeds and grass from growing up against my siding. Is this what your talking about?

I just saw a mulch on a local news station made from recycled rubber. It looks like wood mulch, lasts for a very very long time. First do get rid of the plastic. If you want a weed barrier use a landscape fabric. It lets the moisture through but keeps weeds down.

I have dogs and they tend to love the moist soil IN MY BEDS! I've had 2 seperate incidences where the weed barrier has been scratched/dug up and looks really, really bad. Once I had wood mulch on top of it, and the most recent (see pics) was putting small rounded type rocks over it. The dogs dug anyway and the rocks tended to fall toward the sidewalk, because we slanted the soil away from the foundation of the house. I've removed the upper portion of the weed barrier in the pics.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h...0pics/Spring2006Outdoorspics040_41_1.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h...0pics/Spring2006Outdoorspics039_40_1.jpg[/IMG]

Now I beleive I'll remove all of the weed barrier (good ridence) and just go with ground cover (after all the suggestions listed in this forum). I'm a novice gardener, so I'm not recommending, just sharing. Good luck....

Hi BetsyK,

It's good to meet another lady that doesn't move as well as she once did. I don't know the answer to your question but I did want to welcome you to the forum.

Tammy

Hi BetsyK!

Welcome to the forum!

I saw this a couple of years ago at a Home and Garden Show and it's awesome, but it can get pretty expensive if you have a large area to do.