Comments on: Garden Mulches http://www.stevesnedeker.com/728/garden-mulches.html Blogging about Landscaping & Gardening Sat, 04 Sep 2010 20:07:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Steve http://www.stevesnedeker.com/728/garden-mulches.html/comment-page-1#comment-8727 Steve Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:34:59 +0000 http://www.stevesnedeker.com/?p=728#comment-8727 Hi Niels. Yes, sometimes, I use a fabric. It's funny with a city like Reno - they collect a monstrous amount of winds, being near the mountains as they are and the prevailing winds coursing over the city from the West. What often occurs is a fairly generous amount of dust gets blown in. What results, for my interests alone, is that a layer of dirt forms inside of about 2-3 years on top of whatever mulch we use, more than enough for seeds to start and then develop into weeds. It's as if a layer of soil were introduced, believe it or not. Typically, it's one of the reasons I often eschewed the fabric in favor of soil and then controlling weed growth with pre-emergent herbicides. In fact, I end up using them even with the liner under, for the same reasons, just a few years later. I like the flexibility and the natural look of soil, myself. It is "flexible" in the sense that plants and flowers can expand better with no restraint from surrounding fabrics and many of the rhizome perennials get a better shot at growing as well. Soil also allows me to use ground cover plants which I deem prettier and more interesting. Hi Niels. Yes, sometimes, I use a fabric. It’s funny with a city like Reno – they collect a monstrous amount of winds, being near the mountains as they are and the prevailing winds coursing over the city from the West. What often occurs is a fairly generous amount of dust gets blown in. What results, for my interests alone, is that a layer of dirt forms inside of about 2-3 years on top of whatever mulch we use, more than enough for seeds to start and then develop into weeds. It’s as if a layer of soil were introduced, believe it or not.

Typically, it’s one of the reasons I often eschewed the fabric in favor of soil and then controlling weed growth with pre-emergent herbicides. In fact, I end up using them even with the liner under, for the same reasons, just a few years later. I like the flexibility and the natural look of soil, myself. It is “flexible” in the sense that plants and flowers can expand better with no restraint from surrounding fabrics and many of the rhizome perennials get a better shot at growing as well. Soil also allows me to use ground cover plants which I deem prettier and more interesting.

]]> By: Tabletop Fountain http://www.stevesnedeker.com/728/garden-mulches.html/comment-page-1#comment-8722 Tabletop Fountain Mon, 08 Sep 2008 06:51:14 +0000 http://www.stevesnedeker.com/?p=728#comment-8722 Beautiful images.Mulch offers tremendous advantages when placed around your garden. Beautiful images.Mulch offers tremendous advantages when placed around your garden.

]]> By: Niels http://www.stevesnedeker.com/728/garden-mulches.html/comment-page-1#comment-8715 Niels Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:53:29 +0000 http://www.stevesnedeker.com/?p=728#comment-8715 Do you use some sort of landscape fabric underneath some the areas before mulching? I do that with the crushed granite mulches - but I do wonder weather it is a good idea using it under bark mulches? Do you use some sort of landscape fabric underneath some the areas before mulching? I do that with the crushed granite mulches – but I do wonder weather it is a good idea using it under bark mulches?

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