That's really going to depend on whats there already.

 

Originally posted by dannyc33
When you lay down mulch, especially new mulch you should usually put down 2-3 inches. I have some client who just want it "freshened" How much should I lay? 2-3 inches or less?

Any help would be greatly appreciated,
Dan

Just enough to cover the old mulch. An inch, maybe less.

 

4-6" makes the best weed contol for exsisting weeds.

I try to maintain that depth.

 

Originally posted by LAWNGODFATHER
4-6" makes the best weed contol for exsisting weeds.

I try to maintain that depth.

That much will smother out all roots of plants and shrubs over time, but yes, it will do excellent for choking weeds.

danny, refreshen the mulch to bring it back to the desirable depth. 3", maybe 4 in some places is desirable for me. No less than 2.5".

If 1" is there, put 2" on top, etc, etc, Irrigated beds will have more decompostion than non-irrigated beds.

 

Top dressing is 1-2 inches of mulch.It is only for cosmetics. At 2 inches,a cubic yard covers 162 square feet.

 

Maybe you just need to rake lightly to fluff it up
Bill the bajesus out of em

 

If only 2 to 3 inches down now, you can add an inch...no more. If theres 4 or more inches already down, and there aren't an excessive amount of shrubs/plants/flowers, we use a Mantis cultivator machine to break it up and then smooth with a rake.....this is very healthy for the plants as it allows mositure, air, and nutrients to get to the roots. Many of us put down way too much mulch around trees/shrubs. Those "mulch volcanoes" we often see at shopping centers around trees and shrubs are the quickest way I know of to kill or stunt the growth of a tree.

 

We do the same as others have mentioned.

New 3"
Freshen up 1" - 2"

Do understand that some mulches break down quicker than others. The cheap hardwood that I can get I can put down 4" and will be an 1" by end of season.

 

A reason I'm disliking drip irrigation:

We're starting to cultivate the old layer.

Out here, we use bark mulch (barkdust).

It can become like a thatch layer after sitting for a couple of years.

We break up the layer, and sometimes that looks great. Often, the buried part was dark, rather than bleached and gray.

Adding bark should rarely depend on freshening, but rather maintaining a beneficial volume.

Maybe gravel "mulch" is the only one that needs no freshening.

 

i have seen done what Gar was talking about, but the guy was useing a power rake.