Mulch patio ... Bad Idea?

My backyard is a mess of patchy grass and weeds, mosquitoes, and plenty of tree shade and leaves on the fall. I’ve seen out of state many playgrounds with mulch as a safe playing area and like the idea. My idea is to weed-whack the back yard square (around 16×25), set some sort of anti-weed landscape fabric and spread mulch. I will put some sort of wood barrier, maybe 5 inches up, where the soil touches a cement base adjacent to the home out drain. This barrier is to prevent mulch floating into that cement/drain area under the deck attached to the house. The back yard could use a bit of pitching against the house, but I don’t think I can get into that due to manual labor and I can’t spend much money on the area at the moment. Is this a bad idea?

gates_ave

in Garden 11 years and 11 months ago

5

Please log in, in order to post replies!

5 replies

Newest Oldest

mruby36 | 11 years and 10 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4844 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4861 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "176799"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(7) "mruby36"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$B3wBk7M3JG4.sFMK.ZlyJPf35Hdroy/"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(7) "mruby36"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(15) "matt@nyc-hs.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(21) "http://www.nyc-hs.com"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:15:51"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(6) "Matt R"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(176799)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Mulch close to the house? Along with the cockroaches and waterbugs, you may also welcome in the ginormous spider to your new little community bug haven. I once had spiders the size of a small steering wheels. When I cleared out mulch and all the other stuff living next to the foundation, and added a healthy dose of bug stuff sprayed on the foundation, the bug community cleared out and moved on. Good luck! Matt R www.nyc-hs.com

bklyngirl | 11 years and 10 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4846 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4875 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(4) "4030"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(9) "bklyngirl"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BZPbDrIaW2acdOfBLhWQiBPcbKKbUB1"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(9) "bklyngirl"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(17) "utoeid1@gmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(51) "http://bstoner.wpengine.com/forums/users/bklyngirl/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:12:48"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(9) "bklyngirl"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(4030)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

You will be creating Cockroach heaven. I had a small area near my home and the large Waterbugs seems to find it their own personal Nirvana. After 2 summers ripped it all out and bugs moved on. Would not do that again. Nor would I place a pile next to your home.

handyrenny | 11 years and 10 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4845 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4847 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "180351"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(10) "handyrenny"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$B0LPu.9E91TvIPzdDM182gBQ2l7YeP0"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(10) "handyrenny"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(21) "weroutdoors@gmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(26) "http://www.weroutdoors.com"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 13:42:17"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(10) "handyrenny"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(180351)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

all of nyc

marie-helene | 11 years and 11 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4844 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4832 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "176719"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(12) "marie-helene"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BIVcO0Xh5D6Ybw3Kkoe3etYzz.aU0/."
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(12) "marie-helene"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(21) "ediblepetals@about.me"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(28) "http://www.edible-petals.com"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:24:59"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(12) "marie-helene"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(176719)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

It’s a very good idea. Make sure to get pins to fix the corners of the landscape fabric, and have some overlap, so you don’t make it easy for weeds to come through. Depending on the traffic and the weather, it should last 1-3 years.

BobMarvin | 11 years and 11 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4846 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4837 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(3) "802"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(9) "BobMarvin"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(63) "$wp$2y$10$vXcETAGfbklfbxLqBuZOwe9SvZukjLn11bfJ4K5tk7sYEGuWi6OGW"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(9) "bobmarvin"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(17) "marvbej@gmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(31) "http:///forums/users/bobmarvin/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2006-09-08 23:16:42"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(10) "Bob Marvin"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(802)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(3) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["SPF Manage Forums"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(5) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["SPF Manage Forums"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

I did just that about 4 years ago–4″ of natural cedar mulch over landscape cloth It’s held up quote well; I didn’ have to add more until thia year