I HAVE EXCITING NEWS! 🪴Design-Your-Own Landscape Layout ONLINE COURSE 🪴is now OPEN for enrollment! For do-it-yourselfers who want to create their own landscape design, but just need a little extra guidance. I’ll walk you through the design process, step by step, so you can create a practical, hand-drawn "layout plan" (a landscape design plan that shows the layout of the finished design). Learn more and sign up, here! www.gardenprojectacademy.com/diy-landscape-design-online-course/
Great video! I am just about to purchase a large amount of mulch for my grandma's yard. I hope you are covering the different types and sizes of mulch next! Thanks so much for the video!
I was several years into gardening (also in Seattle) and battling weeds before I discovered mulch. I could have saved myself hours of work and several strain injuries if I'd been mulching from the beginning. Great video. Thanks.
Please keep doing videos like this!! I learn exactly what I need to know by watching your videos. I'm amazed at the myths that you just busted about mulch and nitrogen. Thank you for sharing.
I like laying down a layer of about 4" of triple shredded premium bark mulch which offers good weed control on my yard. I also taper the mulch down around the edges to form sort of a "shell" that can prevent runoffs caused by rain. I leave the areas closer to the plants loose so that rain/water can be absorbed easily. The triple shredded mulch also decomposes nicely into soil.
Great info, thank you! What’s the best way to add compost to your garden beds that have already been mulched, say 6 months to a year later? Raking it all off, adding compost and then putting the mulch back on top sounds like a chore I will surely dread. Haha!
Love your channel! I'm a pro gardener for residential clients. Most of them do not apply enough mulch. OTOH, I have clients where, after years of applications, the bark mulch is so thick that it forms a crust and becomes hydrophobic. Every spring I break up the crust, bit it usually forms again rather quickly. Any advice on this? Also, when planting, I may have to dig down 12" to reach actual soil. Do I simply fill those 12" with fresh soil and plant?
Great video 😊 I jumped on to point out a typo on “multh myth 3” If you read this comment you will hopefully spot all the comments which don’t seem mulch related 😳
Very timely. Trying to control weeds beneath my Norway Spruce tree and even though I've tried pine straw mulch in the past, I don't think I applied thick enough....it was costly so I skimped. I use cedar chip mulch everywhere else, so I think limbing it up a bit, adding cardboard, and a thicker layer of cedar mulch may buy me a few years of hassle-free. Thanks for the info!
I like arobrist wood chips too! Local golf club gies away leaf mulch it collects from all the homes for free, and if I'm desperate I"ll go to the city compost center and pay $15/yard for double shredded wood mulch. Join a garden club and ask where they get free mulch, if you are going to lay down 12" of the stuff it better be free or cheap!!! saw mills are alos a good source I can get it $7/yard, aged for a year. Even contemplating using cedar off cut slabs to make giganic mulch chips
Thank you for your advice & suggestions. I've made so many mistakes over the years in landscaping my yards and have used a variety of different methods in mulch. Not only for gardens but pathways, and perimeter gardening. I live in California's capital city so I dont have the freezing cold temps (who knows these days) of snow where I am. I notice you didn't mention straw or pine needle mulch. I've used straw for my perimeter gardening and loved it. Not only inexpensive ($8-9 bail) but it covers a large area, great weed blocker and looks lovely. It lasts through winter with reapplication. I can walk barefoot on it and my dogs don't get it stuck in their hair as with bark/mulch. If you know any downsides to straw, please let me know..
Here in SW Washington, my ears are tuned to wood chippers. Arborists are intensely happy to dump a load of chips nearby rather than drive a ways a pay to dump.
Do you have any advice for removing or suppressing grass which has grown up under a shrub with multiple stems? It is very difficult to dig out weeds between the stems at the base of the shrub.
I use to have a lot of leaves. Rake and/or blow. You might try a lighter rake or if blowing turn the power down. Some people just place more mulch on top of the leaves. Rake out the easy stuff then top dress with fresh mulch.
The arborist who dropped off my pile of pine chips specifically told me that if I used the pine mulch on any plants that aren't acid lovers (like azaleas), it would burn them. He recommended I let the pile get rained on a few times, and acidity would reduce as the mulch begins to break down. @gardenprojectacademy, do you remember what sources you found that busted this myth? I want to believe! lol.
Oh, wow. I didn't realize the best practice for mulch application was that thick. I usually hear that 2 inches is fine in most cases, but now I know to keep extra mulch on hand if a stubborn area needs more smothering.
Thank you for saying there is no such thing as a no maintenance garden. I say this all the time especially when I see an article about it or see someone online asking for recommendations for a no maintenance garden. You’re going to have to weed, water and prune and probably fertilize. There’s also no such thing as a no maintenance house I don’t care how new it is.
This is so so specifically just what I needed to know. I've made a few mistakes in hindsight but I'm still verrry early in my projects and planning so I can now adjust and take this forward! Thank you thank you thank you
This is great advice!! I have a trick question though : what if I have applied pine bark as mulch to my garden, can I simply later plant the 2nd layer of sugar cane mulch on top? or do I have to take away all the pine bark before applying the sugar cane mulch?
Hi i didn't ask you in other video question I want to give to my wife indoor house plant that you keep behind you or you like My wife love to have plant indoor but not too much She feel they have kind of communication with human when you love them and care about them
Hi just subscribed, great videos! Question, after applying that thick layer of mulch , the plants and trees will all be kind of "welled up" (not sure what is the right word for it..) because we don't want to bury them or the stem/trunk with the mulch. So how to solve this problem then? And the area will be much higher than surrounding areas now, what to do then?
I just created a new garden bed and am about to mulch. I'm planning to put down a layer of cardboard before I mulch since the soil has been significantly disturbed. Is that a practice you recommend? If not, what is the reason?
Thanks for the great video. I’m looking for a “best practice” for mulching at the fence line to prevent my neighbors weeds and grass from infiltrating my yard and garden beds. My yard has your typical pressure treated lumber privacy fence and I have one nieghbor who does absolutely nothing to control vegetation or pests in his yard (the first few years I was in this house he mowed his backyard once per year). And even with a privacy fence his weeds will eventually become my weeds so I’d like to inhibit what I can from spreading under the fence. One of my other neighbors has a beautiful turf grass that goes right up to the fence. I’ve just dug out a garden bed along our shared fence and I’m concerned about his lawn spreading under the fence. The bushes I have planted in this bed are 3 to 4 feet from the fence so I am hoping for some kind of mulching technique for a foot or two feet against that fence that will suppressed the lawn from spreading back into my yard without creating to damp of conditions for the bottom of the fence boards. Any ideas?
Most cities parks departments have free mulch locations, a snow shovel works great and mulch is light, it just takes a little work and many trips if you have a small car, but definitely worth the trouble: plants are super happy and no weeds to worry about. I also used free leaves from my neighbors underneath. I wish I had done all of this a long time ago!
Thank you! I am prepping my yard this summer/winter to plan natives next spring. I plan to do a cover crop of oats/peas to die back with the first frost...would you suggest wood chip mulch as well over winter, or just wait til after I plant in the spring?
When things (weeds) start to shoot through the mulch, especially those that are grasses on long runners I am not sure what to do. Pulling them pulls out the long runner, disturbing quite a large amount of mulch and soil and any time you do that it seems to give more weed seeds the start they need. But cutting them off also seems to just let the same one regrow in the same spot. What are your thoughts on this. I have just put down a layer of cardboard then a 10cm layer of “forest fines” mulch across my 80+ square metre backyard as I transition it being essentially one giant garden bed and I’m noticing some problem areas are getting more weeds shoot through than others. I knew I’d still be weeding, but I’m trying to have the best response now, to limit them in the future. Thanks 😊
I’m just starting something similar. I expect it will involve a lot of fiddling around with pulling and chopping. As you introduce new plants they will start to take over and be your allies. Weeding is just part of the process. I find it pleasant. Keep at it for a few years!
I use to have lots of oak leaves which break down slowly. Time will shred everything eventually. I think it’s maple that has the helicopter seeds, I found the seeds would sprout and be a hassle. Leaves can be great mulch but it depends on your leaves and your needs.
I HAVE EXCITING NEWS!
🪴Design-Your-Own Landscape Layout ONLINE COURSE 🪴is now OPEN for enrollment!
For do-it-yourselfers who want to create their own landscape design, but just need a little extra guidance.
I’ll walk you through the design process, step by step, so you can create a practical, hand-drawn "layout plan" (a landscape design plan that shows the layout of the finished design).
Learn more and sign up, here!
www.gardenprojectacademy.com/diy-landscape-design-online-course/
You are REALLY good at this! Please keep making videos and hang in there while your audience grows -- you're wonderful 🙂
agree. saw first video minutes ago, and immediately noticed good content quality and delivery style. no fluff... im curious what else she has to say 😊
Agree x 10^10000
This video was not boring at all! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Your information is so thorough and encouraging. Thank you so much!
THANK YOU! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and that it could help! There are flashier topics here on UA-cam 😂, but mulch IS important
You are such a good teacher! Thank you 🙏.
Great video! I am just about to purchase a large amount of mulch for my grandma's yard. I hope you are covering the different types and sizes of mulch next! Thanks so much for the video!
I dig these videos! Pun fully intended!! 👏
I was several years into gardening (also in Seattle) and battling weeds before I discovered mulch. I could have saved myself hours of work and several strain injuries if I'd been mulching from the beginning. Great video. Thanks.
I love your channel! Thank you for all the wonderful information ❤️
Please keep doing videos like this!! I learn exactly what I need to know by watching your videos. I'm amazed at the myths that you just busted about mulch and nitrogen. Thank you for sharing.
I like laying down a layer of about 4" of triple shredded premium bark mulch which offers good weed control on my yard. I also taper the mulch down around the edges to form sort of a "shell" that can prevent runoffs caused by rain. I leave the areas closer to the plants loose so that rain/water can be absorbed easily. The triple shredded mulch also decomposes nicely into soil.
I use cocoa mulch for my herb garden and perennials… for 20 years now. In CT.
This video is great, keep it up!
Amazing and super helpful! I'm from the NW too, although I live in California now.
Great info, thank you! What’s the best way to add compost to your garden beds that have already been mulched, say 6 months to a year later? Raking it all off, adding compost and then putting the mulch back on top sounds like a chore I will surely dread. Haha!
well that's how I would do it, lots of work, always add compost first, so you don't have to go back and redo all the work.
6:15 perfect screen shot - arborist chips always cheapest & often free if you can speak in yards
Love your channel!
I'm a pro gardener for residential clients. Most of them do not apply enough mulch.
OTOH, I have clients where, after years of applications, the bark mulch is so thick that it forms a crust and becomes hydrophobic. Every spring I break up the crust, bit it usually forms again rather quickly.
Any advice on this?
Also, when planting, I may have to dig down 12" to reach actual soil. Do I simply fill those 12" with fresh soil and plant?
Mulch is a fascinating topic. Not boring at all.
Great video, objective, concise and informative! Thank you.
Great video 😊
I jumped on to point out a typo on “multh myth 3”
If you read this comment you will hopefully spot all the comments which don’t seem mulch related 😳
Great info, new subscriber
Very timely. Trying to control weeds beneath my Norway Spruce tree and even though I've tried pine straw mulch in the past, I don't think I applied thick enough....it was costly so I skimped. I use cedar chip mulch everywhere else, so I think limbing it up a bit, adding cardboard, and a thicker layer of cedar mulch may buy me a few years of hassle-free. Thanks for the info!
Thanks! I love your videos. Unfortunately I live in a very high risk fire area. So the best mulch for me is stones!
I love your videos! I am also PNW based and love horticulture. What type of wood chips are best for PNW gardens? Cedar? Thanks 😊
I like arobrist wood chips too! Local golf club gies away leaf mulch it collects from all the homes for free, and if I'm desperate I"ll go to the city compost center and pay $15/yard for double shredded wood mulch. Join a garden club and ask where they get free mulch, if you are going to lay down 12" of the stuff it better be free or cheap!!! saw mills are alos a good source I can get it $7/yard, aged for a year. Even contemplating using cedar off cut slabs to make giganic mulch chips
Thank you for your advice & suggestions. I've made so many mistakes over the years in landscaping my yards and have used a variety of different methods in mulch. Not only for gardens but pathways, and perimeter gardening. I live in California's capital city so I dont have the freezing cold temps (who knows these days) of snow where I am. I notice you didn't mention straw or pine needle mulch. I've used straw for my perimeter gardening and loved it. Not only inexpensive ($8-9 bail) but it covers a large area, great weed blocker and looks lovely. It lasts through winter with reapplication. I can walk barefoot on it and my dogs don't get it stuck in their hair as with bark/mulch. If you know any downsides to straw, please let me know..
Where have you been all my life!
Great content
excellent!
How do I add compost to the garden when I have wood chip mulch already in place
Here in SW Washington, my ears are tuned to wood chippers. Arborists are intensely happy to dump a load of chips nearby rather than drive a ways a pay to dump.
Should weed block be placed down before mulch?
I am looking for the answer to this as well.
Do you have any advice for removing or suppressing grass which has grown up under a shrub with multiple stems? It is very difficult to dig out weeds between the stems at the base of the shrub.
Are not mulch and compost, also two different kinds of snacks?
The myths don't stop me from using mulch. The leaves do. How do you remove fallen leaves without removing the mulch?
I use to have a lot of leaves. Rake and/or blow. You might try a lighter rake or if blowing turn the power down. Some people just place more mulch on top of the leaves. Rake out the easy stuff then top dress with fresh mulch.
You may want to check your slides. They say Multh Myth #1, 2, etc. instead of Mulch Myth.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌳🌱💚
How riveting.
Im very happy I found this channel! You mentioned you're based in the PNW, do you have any recommendations for where to buy good wood based mulch?
The arborist who dropped off my pile of pine chips specifically told me that if I used the pine mulch on any plants that aren't acid lovers (like azaleas), it would burn them. He recommended I let the pile get rained on a few times, and acidity would reduce as the mulch begins to break down.
@gardenprojectacademy, do you remember what sources you found that busted this myth? I want to believe! lol.
Oh, wow. I didn't realize the best practice for mulch application was that thick. I usually hear that 2 inches is fine in most cases, but now I know to keep extra mulch on hand if a stubborn area needs more smothering.
Great video! Sorry much good info. (Minor: can you slow down your talking a bit next time??)
Thank you for saying there is no such thing as a no maintenance garden. I say this all the time especially when I see an article about it or see someone online asking for recommendations for a no maintenance garden. You’re going to have to weed, water and prune and probably fertilize. There’s also no such thing as a no maintenance house I don’t care how new it is.
I have needed this exact resource! Thanks & greetings from Little Rock, AR!
MULTH MYTHS
This is so so specifically just what I needed to know. I've made a few mistakes in hindsight but I'm still verrry early in my projects and planning so I can now adjust and take this forward! Thank you thank you thank you
This is great advice!! I have a trick question though : what if I have applied pine bark as mulch to my garden, can I simply later plant the 2nd layer of sugar cane mulch on top? or do I have to take away all the pine bark before applying the sugar cane mulch?
Hi i didn't ask you in other video question
I want to give to my wife indoor house plant that you keep behind you or you like
My wife love to have plant indoor but not too much
She feel they have kind of communication with human when you love them and care about them
Me with a load of wood chips in the parking side waiting for me when I’m watching the video with hopes to give me energy to start.😅
Multh Myth 🤣
This was a thorough presentation. It was clear and very helpful. Thank you so much.
Hi just subscribed, great videos! Question, after applying that thick layer of mulch , the plants and trees will all be kind of "welled up" (not sure what is the right word for it..) because we don't want to bury them or the stem/trunk with the mulch. So how to solve this problem then? And the area will be much higher than surrounding areas now, what to do then?
I just created a new garden bed and am about to mulch. I'm planning to put down a layer of cardboard before I mulch since the soil has been significantly disturbed. Is that a practice you recommend? If not, what is the reason?
Thanks for the great video.
I’m looking for a “best practice” for mulching at the fence line to prevent my neighbors weeds and grass from infiltrating my yard and garden beds.
My yard has your typical pressure treated lumber privacy fence and I have one nieghbor who does absolutely nothing to control vegetation or pests in his yard (the first few years I was in this house he mowed his backyard once per year). And even with a privacy fence his weeds will eventually become my weeds so I’d like to inhibit what I can from spreading under the fence.
One of my other neighbors has a beautiful turf grass that goes right up to the fence. I’ve just dug out a garden bed along our shared fence and I’m concerned about his lawn spreading under the fence.
The bushes I have planted in this bed are 3 to 4 feet from the fence so I am hoping for some kind of mulching technique for a foot or two feet against that fence that will suppressed the lawn from spreading back into my yard without creating to damp of conditions for the bottom of the fence boards.
Any ideas?
Most cities parks departments have free mulch locations, a snow shovel works great and mulch is light, it just takes a little work and many trips if you have a small car, but definitely worth the trouble: plants are super happy and no weeds to worry about. I also used free leaves from my neighbors underneath. I wish I had done all of this a long time ago!
Thank you! I am prepping my yard this summer/winter to plan natives next spring. I plan to do a cover crop of oats/peas to die back with the first frost...would you suggest wood chip mulch as well over winter, or just wait til after I plant in the spring?
When things (weeds) start to shoot through the mulch, especially those that are grasses on long runners I am not sure what to do. Pulling them pulls out the long runner, disturbing quite a large amount of mulch and soil and any time you do that it seems to give more weed seeds the start they need. But cutting them off also seems to just let the same one regrow in the same spot. What are your thoughts on this. I have just put down a layer of cardboard then a 10cm layer of “forest fines” mulch across my 80+ square metre backyard as I transition it being essentially one giant garden bed and I’m noticing some problem areas are getting more weeds shoot through than others. I knew I’d still be weeding, but I’m trying to have the best response now, to limit them in the future. Thanks 😊
I’m just starting something similar. I expect it will involve a lot of fiddling around with pulling and chopping. As you introduce new plants they will start to take over and be your allies.
Weeding is just part of the process. I find it pleasant. Keep at it for a few years!
What about leaves for mulch? Are they okay and do they have to be shredded?
I use to have lots of oak leaves which break down slowly. Time will shred everything eventually. I think it’s maple that has the helicopter seeds, I found the seeds would sprout and be a hassle. Leaves can be great mulch but it depends on your leaves and your needs.