Double ground anything. Like was said, it smothers a lot of weeds. Decomposes faster and is easier to freshen up. Termites in mulch is a misconception. The only time I've seen them is during swarm season and those were just coming out of the ground. A good perimeter spray (monthly except winter) will deter most pests around the outside of a foundation. Subterranean termites could not function if the mulch was the proper thickness. Mulch does provide a good home to other insects though like ants, pill/sowbugs. If the mulch is the proper thickness (2-3 inches), it can be granulated and it will soak through. Any thicker and it won't be effective.
Depends on the job. If someone wants a long lasting wood mulch which retains its color well, we use pine bark mini-nuggets. If they want a more permanent mulch we use decorative stone aggregate. If the area is a perennial or annual garden, we use Virginia Pine Fines, and if its just an ordinary shrub/ tree bed, we use double shredded hardwood.
Brown hardwood mulch or Pine Needles is what I use. I refuse to use the black due to it made with coal around here. You get completely black from it, and breathing coal dust will kill you.
Mostly black...cough wheez spit gag wheeez gag cough....Eric I dont know what they dye our black with but it will stain you just looking at it....but more and more customers are going with it because the overall quality of "hardwood" mulch the past 10 years has gone from bad to worse...I;ve had suppliers tell me most of the "good stuff" has much more scrap lumber than it used to...and I believe it given how fast it fades. We'll use pine bark nuggets on small beds like at a townhome ...they look great and hold their color.....wheeez cough gag spit sputter....whew!!! I gotta stop breathin' that black poison....
We have been using shredded hardwood for years, but the nursery now carries shredded OAK. This is by far the best mulch I have used, the color does not fade even after months. Only drawback is initially it is not quite as dark as the hardwood, but the color lasts.
Originally posted by GarPA Mostly black...cough wheez spit gag wheeez gag cough....Eric I dont know what they dye our black with but it will stain you just looking at it....but more and more customers are going with it because the overall quality of "hardwood" mulch the past 10 years has gone from bad to worse...I;ve had suppliers tell me most of the "good stuff" has much more scrap lumber than it used to...and I believe it given how fast it fades. We'll use pine bark nuggets on small beds like at a townhome ...they look great and hold their color.....wheeez cough gag spit sputter....whew!!! I gotta stop breathin' that black poison....
If your getting stains, its coal. Better were a respirator to keep from getting it into your lungs.
Hybrid Mode
