Mulch question

[Matt Meiser]

I'm thinking about installing untreated, uncolored mulch around my daughter's play structure and swing set and building a mulch path from the house to the shop. There's a lot of length in edging and I'm wondering if I could get away without purchasing and installing edging. I figure what I'd do in that case is use my box blade on the tractor to remove the sod the entire width of the walkway and then fill the depression with mulch. For the play area, I'd cut out sod at the edges and then fill the entire area liberally with mulch. Any thoughts on how this would work?

[Jim Becker]

Should work fine. You'll just need to occasionally deal with the "infiltration" of the grass...something you probably would need to do even with edging. The box blade should cut a nice path for you, too...

[Matt Meiser]

The box blade should cut a nice path for you, too...

That's what I'm thinking and its a 4' blade--perfect width for a path.

[Roger Bell]

You might also considering putting down a layer of non-woven filter fabric atop your subgrade before placing the mulch. That might retard the encroachment of grass for awhile. Nothing I think will prevent the eventual growth of grass and weeds in the mulch other than manual removal or herbicides. Also, the mulch will wear and will require replenishing every now and then.

I believe that the mulch without the edging might look even better than mulch with edging....it would certainly provide a "soft" , non-tripping edge or transition from the mulch to the lawn. Also, you might consider a gently winding path of long radius curves rather than a straight-line tangent approach to your path.

[Matt Meiser]

Also, you might consider a gently winding path of long radius curves rather than a straight-line tangent approach to your path.

I was thinking the same thing. It will go by a small tree on the way, so we were thinking about creating a seating area near there as well. You know, in case I get tired on the way to the shop. :rolleyes:

[Joe Mioux]

Just remember that with a path made of mulch, you are going to have to be carefull with the mowing.

If you run your mower over the loose mulch while mowing grass, you are going to blow the mulch away.

Joe

[Chris Damm]

Matt,
I've done the same thing. I found that cypress mulch works the best. Shoot for 3 to 4" thick and you won't need any fabric. Meijer's usually has a good sale in the spring.
Chris

[Steve Ash]

FWIW.....

Subject: Dangerous Mulch

This was on the Better Homes and Gardens discussion site. Anyone with trees or flowerbeds should be
aware of this.

If you use mulch around your house be very careful about buying mulch this year. After the hurricane in <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = U1 /><U1:CITY u2:st="on"><U1:PLACE u2:st="on">ffice:smarttags" /><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com /><st1:City w:st=<ST1:place w:st="on">New Orleans</U1:PLACE></U1:CITY></ST1:place></st1:City> many trees
were blown over. These trees were then turned into mulch and the state is trying to get rid of tons and tons of this mulch to any state or company
who will come and haul it away. So it will be showing up in Home Depot and Lowes at dirt cheap prices with one huge problem; Formosan Termites will be the bonus in many of those bags. <U1:CITY u2:st="on"><U1:PLACE u2:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><ST1:place w:st="on">New Orleans</U1:PLACE></U1:CITY></ST1:place></st1:City> is one of the few areas in the country where the Formosan Termite has gotten a strong hold and most of the trees blown down were already badly infested with those termites. Now we may have the worst case of transporting a problem to all parts of the country that we have ever had. These termites can eat a house in no time at all and we have no good control against them, so tell your friends who own homes to avoid cheap mulch and know where it came from.

[Chuck Saunders]

This termite mulch scare is a hoax. Checkout www.snopes.com for more info. The only thing I worry about with mulch is using mulch containing walnut where I want plants to grow.
Chuck

[Anthony Anderson]

Hey Chuck, I got the same email about the mulch. I checked it out on UrbanLegends.com, which I have found to be very reliable. They had several pieces of info from the LA state govn't that stated, that all wood waste products were supposed to be sent to landfills. But if you read between the lines, and consider what they have to deal with right now, I don't think they really have control over what leaves the state and what does not. It seems that the LA state gov. is still in a state of dissarray from everything that happened. IOW I don't think they are going to be concerned with policing whether or not infested wood/mulch leaves the state. So I would say there is some credibility to this one. Just my thoughts. Regards, Bill

[Rob Bourgeois]

Take it someone who TRIED to get Magnolia trees from that area out....You cant unless you sneak it out.

The area is not mulching much of anything and all that is mulched is being disposed of in land fills and the rest is being burned.

Also ..despite what you might THINK about the state of affairs in Louisiana...its pretty much back to normal..City park had the Chirstmas light display and people are working. The areas hardest hit are being repaired and repopulated. To say that the local and state governments are in a state of dissarray right now is simply...wrong.

Come on down and see for yourself.

[Anthony Anderson]

Come on down and see for yourself.

The sleeping bag is in the Mustang, and I am on my way. Actually I am writing this on the laptop, while at a rest area. Do you have a room ready for me:D? Actually Louisianna/New Orleans is a place that my wife and I have always wanted to visit. And we will. Personally I think it is one of the most beautiful, historic states that we have. My brother and his wife are coming down to the Louisianna/Gulf Coast area this summer to work with churches in the area. He is really looking forward to it. BTW, I will be there in eight hours:D. Thanks, Bill

[Matt Meiser]

Lowes has signs up at their registers emphatically stating that they are SURE that no gulf coast wood will end up in their stores. Which all just means that somehow some will end up there anyway and it will be a big scandal.

[Steve Ash]

Matt you could always run up here to Johnsons lumber and buy mulch. it is local and it would give you a good reason to go shopping in the store :cool:

[Matt Meiser]

Matt you could always run up here to Johnsons lumber and buy mulch. it is local and it would give you a good reason to go shopping in the store :cool:

I need to find another reason to have a meeting in Lansing for that. Like tomorrow when I have to go to Madison Heights to install some software on a client's server. Conveniently located just a couple miles from Rockler. :cool:

There is a nursery 3 miles from my house that had mulch for $10/yd last year and I noticed another place that seems to be making it a couple miles the other way, so I'll probably check with them too.

[Dan Oelke]

I haven't paid for any of the mulch I have around my trees - then again it isn't treated, colored or anything else.

I got a couple of truck loads came from the local power co-op. I just called them up and asked to be put on the list for a load when they were doing tree pruning in the area. The first time I did that I had two loads within 3 months and the next time it took 18 months before I got some. Guess you can't argue when the price is free. The biggest downside is that it is whatever they were pruning at the time. Might be pine trees, might be hardwoods, might have lots of leaves and needles, might not be ground real fine, might have pop cans from the workers, etc.

I also got many trailer loads from our county - they have a compost facility and you can pick up chips or finished compost for free from there too. Just the cost of gas to haul it. Same issues about inconsistant quality, but again the price is right - 3 yards in my trailer and about 3 gal of gas to get it.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Consider drainage.
the Mulch will hold water the depression will collect it.

Depending on the area you might want to cut deeper and lay 1/2" gravel and cover with permiable membrane. Or you can simply lay some perf pipe off an incline.