Mulch, cedar chips, rocks???

What does everyone have in their flower beds? Can you post pics if you have any. I would like to dress up the flowers beds in the front of our house but dont want a problem with termites so I am nervous about the cedar or pine chips.

Re: Mulch, cedar chips, rocks???

Black mulch in beds. I have a 18 inch path of white crushed marble stone between the flower beds and the wall of the house. So I have a clean little walk if I need to clean the windows, I don't have to walk on mulch.

ETA: The mulch is treated for bugs.

Message edited 3/12/2007 1:35:14 PM.

Re: Mulch, cedar chips, rocks???

We have black mulch also.

I like the rocks too, and there is less maintenance (mulch typically has to be replaced or added to yearly) but if you ever decide you DON'T want rocks, what a PITA!

Here are some pics



Don't mind the dead mums!!!

Re: Mulch, cedar chips, rocks???

Did you put anything under the mulch or rocks? I read somewhere about some kind of covering you lay down to help stop the weeds.

Re: Mulch, cedar chips, rocks???

I did put the fabric for weeds but it is not working for me. Weeds still go through and I have to take care of it.

Re: Mulch, cedar chips, rocks???

I have the black mulch in our beds. When we moved in there was weed preventive plastic and red mulch. The plastic totally didn't work and makes it very difficult to plant flowers so last spring I pulled everything out and just put down the black mulch.

I have rocks in the back by the back door and they are pretty low maintenance also. The biggest problem with them is that they are constantly rolling into the lawn and are a ****** to keep where they are supposed to be.

If I had to choose between the two...mulch all the way, plus it's better for the plants.

Re: Mulch, cedar chips, rocks???

I can only speak from a gardening perspective... I use cedar mulch and don't put down plastic. The first year, the mulch wasn't thick enough and I got this:



The next year, I got smart. I put a divider around the bed and in spring, I cleared away the previous year's mulch and leaves and such and put down a fresh layer of mulch, at least 3 inches thick. The plants came up through them and I patted it down around the stalks, and the mulch settled to about 2 inches:



I did have to weed once a week, but it was just small stalks here and there. Nothing major or backbreaking.

Only use rocks if you have cactus or succulents. The rocks retain heat, and those are the only plants I know of which could take that much heat and still survive.

There's also cocoa shell mulch but dogs think it smells good and like to eat it. And you know what chocolate does to dogs.

Be careful of cheap mulch. Good mulch is treated properly to kill weed seeds. There's nothing worse than putting down mulch and getting more weeds than before!

Re: Mulch, cedar chips, rocks???

I have an idea... if you're just looking to have something that covers the dirt under your plants, and doesn't necessarily need to be a bagged mulch, what about "living" mulch?

This is an article on good plants that are used to cover the ground, and will not take over your beds. There are so many ground covers that are invasive, so be careful:

http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=442&bhcd2=1173791131

If you guys want information on a plant and can't find it on the internet or want another opinion, just ask. I have two huge encyclopedias of plants that I could look up stuff for you.

Re: Mulch, cedar chips, rocks???

I put the weed blocker fabric (not the plastic bag one) under the mulch and IMO, it helped prevent weeds.

I put it along the walk but not in another area closer to the house, and guess where all the weeds grew?

Also, I will go around and pull the weeds / spray them with weed killer from time to time.

Re: Mulch, cedar chips, rocks???