Need help or inspiration getting started on your garden goals this year? Download our 🆓 "GARDEN PLANNING IDEABOOK" full of 18 printable pages for goal setting, garden design ideas, and more! 👉 spokengarden.com/gardenideabook
I'm a seasoned garden bum also in washington state, on the west side of cascades. I use arborist mulch also, I get it free from my neighbor arborist. they deliver too. I just add more on top of old arborist mulch every three years or so. it's alot of work, but my soil is bad ass where I had sucky soil. keep on folks doing great and enjoy your vids.
We definitely need to replace the previous liner. Should I pull it up along with old mulch before replacing it or can I put new liner down over dirt/old mulch?
Hi Brittney! 👋 Great question, and we would recommend in general to remove both your old mulch that is over your old liner, in that you would probably need to remove or at least move the old mulch to get to the old liner to then remove. It might be a little more work to remove both, but it ends up being a lot cleaner and less to deal with later down the road when you might want to completely refurbish your bed. If your old mulch still has some life left or is continually adding to your garden beds soil structure/nutrients, then move your old mulch back into your bed either before or after your new liner is laid. For example, if your old mulch is arborist mulch, then you can respread it over your beds before you lay your new liner down, and then put your new mulch over the new liner. If you old mulch has run it's course and no longer is useful, then don't respread it in your garden before laying down your new liner. We hope this helps and great question! Thank you for watching and for commenting!! 👍😁
We just bought a house took the bushes out from the front of the house there was old mulch and so here i am no idea where to start! Im new at gardening and all that fun spring/summer fun!
Hi Stephanie!! 👋 👋 Congratulations on buying your house! Yay!! 🥳🥳🎊🎉 And, thank you for watching our video. Sounds like the fun gad definitely began there. We hope our video was helpful and gave you some direction based on what your new plans are for your garden. Keep having lots of fun in your garden, and we are excited for you and your garden makeover! 😀 😁
I’m a new homeowner in Delaware and the builders planted a very small flowerbed on each side of the house well I see the black cloth and there’s a ton of weeds everywhere they even look like they have taken over the small plants that were planted there. I want to remove the whole thing, it’s ugly and the plants are ugly too. Where should I start? I’m on a budget and would like to do it all myself. Thanks in advance
Hi April! Thank you for watching and commenting! We are going to answer your question on our Live today, so if you can swing by around 9am, we start our Saturday Morning Live's with answering audience questions. We will also write here in this comment area later our answer to your question. What a fun project you have in front of you! More soon, so until then have a great day! 😉👍
Hi milqueya69! 👋 We would recommend to definitely weed the bed and remove as many weeds as you can. Then assess if you need to replace the fabric or not. If it is still intact and not coming a part, then you can leave it down and replenish your mulch to the thickness you like. We like to put down anywhere from 2-4 inches of mulch thick as evenly as possible in all our beds. Weeds can grow directly on top of weed-barriers. The barriers really only block weeds and their seeds that are below the barrier, but don't stop weeds and their seeds from germinating on top. Hope that helps! Thank you for watching and for your question! 😉👍
Hi Monica! 👋 Thank you for asking this question. Unless you are adding new rubber mulch to your old mulch, then no, you should remove the rubber mulch completely and then add in uour new mulch. Hope that helps and have fun with your project!
Thanks for watching! Btw, we plan to update this video in fall 2020. 😀 Here is a popular mulching article on our website we thought you might be interested in: spokengarden.com/how-to-mulch-6-basic-steps/
Does mulch need to have a lining under it? We bought a home that has a side in the front yard with some hedge bushes growing growing 2 other small bushes but the mulch is so thin I can see random lining in it and keep having to pull weeds. I'm not very educated in gardening... and we eventually want to just fill it with cement to widen the drive but right now it's an eye sore and I get nervous to spray weed killers because I don't want to kill the plants.
Hi Jessica! 👋 Thank you for watching and for asking your question. Using any kind of liner underneath your mulch can be helpful, especially if you've had lots of weeds growing in that bed and they were just removed. The liner (landscape fabric, plastic, burlap, other material) can help control any new weed seedlings that try to germinate and grow. Placing at least a 2-4 inch mulch layer over that liner is a great idea too to let moisture and air through to the below soil, but also block sunlight and heat from reaching any of those weed seeds or seedlings, preventing them from thriving. The barrier and thick (2-4 inches) mulch layer over your bed will help prevent spraying from needing to be done. Hope that helps and let us know how it goes! 😃👍
I wanted an organic way to kill areas in my yard, before planting, I laid weed mat, trim, and black mulch two years ago. 2020... I'm taking out my shop vac today. Lifting the old mulch and weed mat, then using the till. (everything is officially dead, thank God and organically ) After I till the 20 by 5 foot area, I'm getting my Spade, and will use my Spade to edge down six inches therefore being able to cleanly and easily lay my matching red brick and use that as my trim now. Using the till makes this job easy, and with the area being dead weeds will no longer be an issue. I will let that alone because winter is coming. I'll return in spring to till one more time, and plant my flowers. I asked the top of the line landscapers at work, who keep a gorgeous landscape. I was shocked they use no trim, or mat. I asked how do you do this flawlessly? This was they told me to do. Two years to get here, but when you want a pristine landscape with little to no weeds and a clean flawless trim, this seems to be the only way to achieve it. They told me to begin with mat and trim and mulch because it keeps the area clean and easy to maintain until you're prepared organically to plant. It is also easier on the eyes whilst you wait to do it correctly. When you get to the final point, it is absolutely perfect. I always dreamed of a landscape with no trim, mulch or weed Mat. I hate the look of all that and it constantly moves with heat and needs adjusted. Now all I'll need to do is pick the small weeds that will appear. I love the look of clean black dirt and flowers and nothing else. Gosh I love landscaping. Good video
Hi MG! 👋 Thank you for watching and commenting! Sounds like you have been working really hard and moving towards the garden you want. Congrats and we hope you continue to be happy with your garden! 😉😃
@@SpokenGarden thank you love! I just bought my first house I'm 56 ...3 years ago. I never thought I would love it like I do. Landscaping was horrific 20 years no work. Got the house for nothing. Three years the appraiser came and doubled the property he said a third of that is the pristine curb appeal. It does matter no question. Patience! That's the problem. If you want it done clean, crisp and easy to tend to later, you gotta have patience. I'm subbing to your channel! Thanks honey
@@MG-cd9ek I see where I commented. You stated that you, "got the house for nothing." Then you went on to state that "the appraiser came and doubled the property." That is why I stated, "What is double of nothing." LOL
My yard had covered by pine straw before. But I just bought few bags of mulch Do I have to remove the old pine straw first ? Then replace them with the mulch.
Hi Jade. Great question! You have a couple of options; you can remove the straw completely and spread your mulch OR you can leave our straw where it is and cover with you new mulch. The straw should break down over time with warmer temperatures and any watering happening in that garden. There could be some hay or other seed from the straw-source, so be aware that you could see some weeds pop up later. We haven't seen any other negative results with leaving the straw and mulching over the top, besides the possible weeds seeds from the straw. If mulching, be sure to put it down from 2-4 inches thick so it will last for at least this season, hold moisture in the soil longer during hotter times of the summer, and insulate your plants roots from the heat. Have fun and thanks for asking your question!
Great video! I have black bark mulch and want to switch to red. I was just going to cover it since it is so low. Would you think that would be okay? I just have a few bushes that are definitely healthy in my beds.
Hi Damien. Great question. Switching out black for red bark mulch, as long as they are the same general size/texture or the red is a bit larger in size than the black, shouldn't really be a problem (if red is smaller, it will settle over time to let the black mulch show through later). Also be sure to keep your total mulch depth, including old and new mulches, no more than 4 inches thick. This way you get good weed suppression, but also it's not too thick for water and air to filter through for your plants to use. If this sounds good to you, then we say go for it! Have fun! 😀 If you feel up to it, post a picture on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and tag us so we can see your finished product.
@@SpokenGarden Sounds good to me! If I am going to a bigger chain for my mulch i.e. Lowe's, Home Depot, Tractor supply is there any mulch you would say to stay away from?
Another great question. Most of their mulch choices should be good, but we would stay away from any mulch having artificial coloring, materials, or additives, like pesticides or chemicals. Good luck and if you post a picture of your awesome work, tag us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, please, so we can see. 😃
Hello! We had an insane year for acorns falling from our oak tree. What if you have tons of acorns mixed in with the mulch? Do I have to remove all of it? Thank you!!
I live I zone 8b where the weather is hot and humid. I mostly use pine straw because I have several very large beds, and it’s cheaper and easy to spread. My sandy soil has now become very rich which I love, but my question is about damp pine straw. I see that underneath the top layers, the pine straw is matted and damp. Will this cause rot and/or mildew or maybe create a fungus? I’ve worked hard to have healthy soil, and I don’t want to be creating a future problem by not removing layers of pine straw. Thanks so much for this video. It was very helpful.
i have alotta weeds sprouting up in my mulch (surrounds my home) Do i pull the weeds, then add more mulch or pull the weeks , spray weed killer then add more mulch? What mulch requires the least maintenance? I have wood mulch it seems
Hi John! 👋 Sorry to hear about the weeds in your garden, but it sounds like you are working on getting it under control. Nice job! We would recommend completely weeding your garden, then place down mulch or a weed barrier (like cardboard or burlap bags) and then mulch over that at least 2-4 inches thick. Spraying is definitely an option, but we steer clear of any spray in our garden. It's a personal preference. There are many different products out there, so choose wisely and always read the label (Sean was a certified pesticide operator for his job for over a decade, so he always made sure to read the label; "the label is the law" as they say). If you do mulch during this time of year (summer) when it's really hot, be sure to water thoroughly your plants before placing any barrier or mulch down so your plants don't start out with dry soil with new mulch on top. The new mulch will need to settle and water and air will need to find their way through it to reach your garden soil, which can take some time in certain situations, so to hedge your bets, water then mulch. Oh, for general mulch choosing, keep in mind that the larger your mulch pieces, the faster and easier water/air will move through it to reach the soil below. The small ther piece size, the slower water/air will move. Texture and color are very dependent on your tastes and what plants you already have in your garden and what you plan to add in the future. Hope that is helpful and good luck with your weeding. Keep us updated on your progress and thank you for watching. 💪👍😁
Above response brought up great point. Keep away from double ground mulch especially fine Sawdust and stick with the chunky which allows oxygen and moisture to percolate down to roots below.
Thank you for your video 😊 what are your thoughts around bark binder? I have a cherry blossom tree and it’s tough keep my beds clean without blowing mulch all over the place
Hi Larissa! 👋 Good question. If you are replacing one mulch with another and have a weed-barrier below the old mulch, and if the barrier is in good shape (no tears or missing portions or holes and isn't brittle or falling apart), then we would recommend removing the old mulch and getting it off the barrier, reposition the barrier if needed, and then lay the new mulch back down over the top of the weed-barrier. Hope that helps and thank you for watching. 😃
We are switching to rocks. The mulch requires replacing every year and its a lot of work. We are hoping the rock will last longer as it doesn't decompose and turn to dirt and allow weeds to grow.
Hi Dale! 👋 Sounds like a "solid" plan. See what we did there? 😉 For sure, rocks are a great alternative to woodchip and especially if you can get more longevity out of them where you live. There are some larger sized woodchip out there that take many years to decompose, so if you would still like to have woodchip there are options. Thank you for watching and commenting!
Hey first time gardener :) Yard covered in pine straw, lots of pine trees, do I need to remove the existing pine straw before adding more? And when is the best time to mulch? Thanks! Loved the video
Hi Jimmy! 👋 Thank you watching and your positive feedback. 😄 We love hearing that! For your old pine straw, you can leave it right where it is to put new pine straw right over it. Thanks again for watching! 😃👍
Good question. If its not too bad of an infestation, you could use Neem Oil over a few weeks or other organic pest control options. Check to see if any new plants you added to your garden this spring are infested, as that plant could have brought them in. Hope that helps and good luck! 👍😊😃
Hi Jeremiah! 👋 For landscape jobs, Sean would bid most jobs, especially like one you are asking about, with a whole cost to the job. If you wanted to estimate the cost of removal per yard, it depends on how you plant to remove the mulch (by hand, equipment, etc..), how many hours estimated to remove the mulch by the removal method (square footage or meters and depth, which can help with calculating the disposal fees), how many people will be working on the removal and their hourly wage (include taxes, health care, etc..), and then place your local tax on your estimated cost to get a full cost of the project. Also, include any gas cost, vehicle travel and gas, disposal fees, and other costs so you can give a customer a thorough estimate and have also a well thought out plan. Hope that helps and thank you for watching! 😃👍
Great question! You can incorporate it somewhere else in your garden for a walking path or weed barrier around a fountain or bench, you can compost it, or dispose of it. It depends on what old mulch you are removing and then on what new mulch you are adding, along with your garden goals. For example, if you are adding Arborist Mulch to a garden bed that already has Arborist Mulch, but just needs a fresh layer, then you don't need to remove anything. If you are switching out Bark Mulch or an engineered wood fiber (old) with Arborist Mulch (new) then the Bark or fiber should be removed first. Also, composting it is possible.
As arborists we witness first-hand why artificially raising grade suffocates roots requiring oxygen to function. That's why it's necessary to remove most of old mulch back down to original grade before decomposing wood chips actually becomes added soil. If we would not ask landscapers to put down new dirt on top of old dirt. Neither would we want our old mulch turning into new dirt on top of existing dirt either. That's why mulching correctly by applying a light blanket of wood chips just enough to cover naked ground. Allows Top O layer to mix in helping to build soil structure by improving already existing A layer. This way already existing horizontal root system acclimated to a certain oxygen grade level won't face Suffocation and be forced to grow upward.
Hi Scott! 👋 You make interesting points and have a good perspective on this, being certified as an Arborist. With choosing any mulch comes the pro's and con's, including how much or even it it will decompose to become an added benefit to improve your garden's soil. If mulches like arborist chip are well suited for a gardens goals of improving drainage and building new healthy soil, removal of that chip on a regular basis negates the this soil building benefit, so we would say leave this chip if it still serves a gardeners goals. If it doesn't, then by all means, a gardener should remove it to place down what is needed. Also, if you only apply a light blanket of of wood chips to cover the ground, then a mulches use as a weed suppressor, soil builder, erosion controller, and many other benefits of mulch can't be realized. Therefore, a layer of at least 2-4 inches is recommended by most horticulturists, including Sean, so any garden gets all the intended benefits of using a mulch. The best thing about plants, including trees, is that they can adapt and adjust to many different changes in soil elevation, moisture, temperature, and other factors over time to still be as healthy as they can in their specific location. Plants are truly amazing. Thank you for watching and commenting! 👍
Hi there! There are a few reasons to not use a weed barrier under the mulch. One is because it creates more work later when planting new plants. Also, that barrier will keep some of the great soil building particles from filtering down into the soil and then you can start building new soil on top of the weed barrier for weeds to start growing in. This can negate the whole reason for using the weed barrier in the first place. There could be other reasons, too. Definitely up to each gardener to do what's best for their garden. Hope that helps and thank you for watching! 👋👍
can you guys give me some advice on what to do with my landscape? Im a total noob. I would appreciate it I can send you some pictures. Is there an email?
Hi Deborah! 👋 Great question! Yes this should be fine and that's what we do in the fall, let all the leaves come down and then place them in the beds to then cover with arborist mulch. Great weed suppression and lots of organic matter to add back into your beds. If you can limit the leaf thickness to 2 inches, this won't create too thick of a barrier for water to then filter though. As your leaves break down, they will also compact making that layer thinner. Be sure not to use any really waxy leaves, like laurel or oak because they break down really, really, really slow and that might not be what you want. Hope that all helps and have fun mulching! 👍Thank you for watching and commenting!
Hey there Cheryl! Thank you for watching and asking your question. Great question, too! It depends on if you are looking to add a quick nutrition shot to your garden for plants to take up right away or if you are looking to build your gardens soil over time. It you want to do both, you could start off with a liquid or pelleted fertilizer to add to right over the rocks to filter fast down to plant roots. Just be sure to read the fertilizer label to see if any rock or cement exposure to the fertilizer will lead to discoloring. Those are a couple of ways to give that quick shot of nutrients. To slowly build up soil fertility, you can add compost or other nutrient rich materials to either top dress over your gardens current soil or work it directly into the first couple of inches of garden soil. To do this, though, you will need to remove to the side the rock mulch to directly apply any material to your gardens soil. It's pretty labor intensive, but if you only have to do it once a year or every couple of years, then it's not too bad. This is just off the top of our head, so there are other ways to get fertilizer and nutrients to your plants, too. Hope this helps and good luck. Thanks again for watching and asking your question! 😉👍
Hi Cheryl! 👋 Thank you for watching and for commenting here. That's great you have a rock garden. Sweet! Sorry it sounds like it's not in the best of shape, but it also sounds like a good challenge that you can take on and make it soooo much better. Let us know if we can help and thanks for being here!😉👍
Hi Addam. Video production and editing can be tricky and this is one of our first videos we made when we started our channel. It's fun for us to look back and see how much we have progressed.
@@SpokenGarden I applaud your work, I should've communicated that in my former comment. What you're doing is fantastic and your growth as producers is very clear. Keep it up, I apologize for the terseness and patronizing nature of my original statement to you.
Hi PoloMeF1Z3. We aren't sure which part or how much of our video you watched, but if you do watch the whole video, you will see and hear that we clarify quite clearly when to remove and when not to remove mulch and then also when to add or not to add mulch in specific situations. We would suggest that you watch the video again to make sure you clearly understand what we are saying so you aren't confused about this. Thanks for watching.
@@SpokenGarden I think they are looking for HOW to remove it, not when or if to remove it. I have the same question. Just use a rake and bag it up? Do we put more soil on top before adding new mulch? Then throw the old stuff away? Replace the liner? Spray anything? Thanks in advance! Love the video :)
@@kaylinde2321 Hi There! 👋 We are so glad you asked these specific and pointed questions, because we have wanted to actually do a Part 2 to this video and walk through exactly what you have described. Thank you for telling us exactly what you need, commenting, and for watching. Definitely stay tuned! 😃👍
Hi Jordan!👋👋 We appreciate you asking your question. You would remove old mulch for different reasons that we lay out and describe in this video. You might want to completely change from one mulch to another and they won't mix or create a weird situation where if you have too much carbon, then it will tie-up and hold on to nitrogen too tight and not be available to plants, leading to nutritional deficiencies. Some man-made/manufactured mulches don't age well and can become spongy or mucky and won't release water fast enough, waterlogging garden beds and suffocating plants. Others can be too acidic. If you already, watched our vide, we would encourage you to watch it again to pick up on the different reasons we cover to remove old mulch. We hope this reply and our video are helpful to you! 😃😃
Hello Donald. What was presented in this video is based on our years of horticultural training and experience. Sorry this doesn't resonate with you. Have a good day.
Need help or inspiration getting started on your garden goals this year? Download our 🆓 "GARDEN PLANNING IDEABOOK" full of 18 printable pages for goal setting, garden design ideas, and more! 👉 spokengarden.com/gardenideabook
I'm a seasoned garden bum also in washington state, on the west side of cascades. I use arborist mulch also, I get it free from my neighbor arborist. they deliver too. I just add more on top of old arborist mulch every three years or so. it's alot of work, but my soil is bad ass where I had sucky soil. keep on folks doing great and enjoy your vids.
That was great help. First video that actually educates about mulch.
Thank you so much, Maria! We are so glad this video was helpful for you. Let us know if you have any other questions about mulch. 😀
We definitely need to replace the previous liner. Should I pull it up along with old mulch before replacing it or can I put new liner down over dirt/old mulch?
Hi Brittney! 👋 Great question, and we would recommend in general to remove both your old mulch that is over your old liner, in that you would probably need to remove or at least move the old mulch to get to the old liner to then remove. It might be a little more work to remove both, but it ends up being a lot cleaner and less to deal with later down the road when you might want to completely refurbish your bed. If your old mulch still has some life left or is continually adding to your garden beds soil structure/nutrients, then move your old mulch back into your bed either before or after your new liner is laid. For example, if your old mulch is arborist mulch, then you can respread it over your beds before you lay your new liner down, and then put your new mulch over the new liner. If you old mulch has run it's course and no longer is useful, then don't respread it in your garden before laying down your new liner. We hope this helps and great question! Thank you for watching and for commenting!! 👍😁
We just bought a house took the bushes out from the front of the house there was old mulch and so here i am no idea where to start! Im new at gardening and all that fun spring/summer fun!
Hi Stephanie!! 👋 👋 Congratulations on buying your house! Yay!! 🥳🥳🎊🎉 And, thank you for watching our video. Sounds like the fun gad definitely began there. We hope our video was helpful and gave you some direction based on what your new plans are for your garden. Keep having lots of fun in your garden, and we are excited for you and your garden makeover! 😀 😁
I’m a new homeowner in Delaware and the builders planted a very small flowerbed on each side of the house well I see the black cloth and there’s a ton of weeds everywhere they even look like they have taken over the small plants that were planted there. I want to remove the whole thing, it’s ugly and the plants are ugly too. Where should I start? I’m on a budget and would like to do it all myself.
Thanks in advance
Hi April! Thank you for watching and commenting! We are going to answer your question on our Live today, so if you can swing by around 9am, we start our Saturday Morning Live's with answering audience questions. We will also write here in this comment area later our answer to your question. What a fun project you have in front of you! More soon, so until then have a great day! 😉👍
I have weeds coming through my mulch. Shoul I replace it and the fabric, or just add some more mulch on top? Thanks.
Hi milqueya69! 👋 We would recommend to definitely weed the bed and remove as many weeds as you can. Then assess if you need to replace the fabric or not. If it is still intact and not coming a part, then you can leave it down and replenish your mulch to the thickness you like. We like to put down anywhere from 2-4 inches of mulch thick as evenly as possible in all our beds. Weeds can grow directly on top of weed-barriers. The barriers really only block weeds and their seeds that are below the barrier, but don't stop weeds and their seeds from germinating on top. Hope that helps! Thank you for watching and for your question! 😉👍
I'm in the process of revamping my flowerbed and unsure where to start....Can I place new mulch on top of rubber mulch?
Hi Monica! 👋 Thank you for asking this question. Unless you are adding new rubber mulch to your old mulch, then no, you should remove the rubber mulch completely and then add in uour new mulch. Hope that helps and have fun with your project!
Thank you. Good information.
@fabiolagiraldo Thank YOU for saying and and we hope it was helpful!!
Thanks for watching! Btw, we plan to update this video in fall 2020. 😀 Here is a popular mulching article on our website we thought you might be interested in: spokengarden.com/how-to-mulch-6-basic-steps/
Does mulch need to have a lining under it? We bought a home that has a side in the front yard with some hedge bushes growing growing 2 other small bushes but the mulch is so thin I can see random lining in it and keep having to pull weeds. I'm not very educated in gardening... and we eventually want to just fill it with cement to widen the drive but right now it's an eye sore and I get nervous to spray weed killers because I don't want to kill the plants.
Hi Jessica! 👋 Thank you for watching and for asking your question. Using any kind of liner underneath your mulch can be helpful, especially if you've had lots of weeds growing in that bed and they were just removed. The liner (landscape fabric, plastic, burlap, other material) can help control any new weed seedlings that try to germinate and grow. Placing at least a 2-4 inch mulch layer over that liner is a great idea too to let moisture and air through to the below soil, but also block sunlight and heat from reaching any of those weed seeds or seedlings, preventing them from thriving. The barrier and thick (2-4 inches) mulch layer over your bed will help prevent spraying from needing to be done. Hope that helps and let us know how it goes! 😃👍
I wanted an organic way to kill areas in my yard, before planting,
I laid weed mat, trim, and black mulch two years ago. 2020...
I'm taking out my shop vac today. Lifting the old mulch and weed mat, then using the till. (everything is officially dead, thank God and organically )
After I till the 20 by 5 foot area, I'm getting my Spade, and will use my Spade to edge down six inches therefore being able to cleanly and easily lay my matching red brick and use that as my trim now. Using the till makes this job easy, and with the area being dead weeds will no longer be an issue.
I will let that alone because winter is coming.
I'll return in spring to till one more time, and plant my flowers.
I asked the top of the line landscapers at work, who keep a gorgeous landscape. I was shocked they use no trim, or mat. I asked how do you do this flawlessly?
This was they told me to do.
Two years to get here, but when you want a pristine landscape with little to no weeds and a clean flawless trim, this seems to be the only way to achieve it.
They told me to begin with mat and trim and mulch because it keeps the area clean and easy to maintain until you're prepared organically to plant. It is also easier on the eyes whilst you wait to do it correctly.
When you get to the final point, it is absolutely perfect.
I always dreamed of a landscape with no trim, mulch or weed Mat. I hate the look of all that and it constantly moves with heat and needs adjusted.
Now all I'll need to do is pick the small weeds that will appear.
I love the look of clean black dirt and flowers and nothing else.
Gosh I love landscaping.
Good video
Hi MG! 👋 Thank you for watching and commenting! Sounds like you have been working really hard and moving towards the garden you want. Congrats and we hope you continue to be happy with your garden! 😉😃
@@SpokenGarden thank you love! I just bought my first house I'm 56 ...3 years ago. I never thought I would love it like I do.
Landscaping was horrific 20 years no work. Got the house for nothing.
Three years the appraiser came and doubled the property he said a third of that is the pristine curb appeal. It does matter no question.
Patience! That's the problem. If you want it done clean, crisp and easy to tend to later, you gotta have patience. I'm subbing to your channel!
Thanks honey
@@TheRetiredVeteran no idea what you mean., I re read everything. Zero clue
@@TheRetiredVeteran 💜
@@MG-cd9ek I see where I commented. You stated that you, "got the house for nothing." Then you went on to state that "the appraiser came and doubled the property." That is why I stated, "What is double of nothing." LOL
Thank you guys, it was helpful
Hi Amour Mtungo! 👋 That's great to hear and thank you for letting us know! Woohoo! 😃👍😉
My yard had covered by pine straw before. But I just bought few bags of mulch
Do I have to remove the old pine straw first ? Then replace them with the mulch.
Hi Jade. Great question! You have a couple of options; you can remove the straw completely and spread your mulch OR you can leave our straw where it is and cover with you new mulch. The straw should break down over time with warmer temperatures and any watering happening in that garden. There could be some hay or other seed from the straw-source, so be aware that you could see some weeds pop up later. We haven't seen any other negative results with leaving the straw and mulching over the top, besides the possible weeds seeds from the straw. If mulching, be sure to put it down from 2-4 inches thick so it will last for at least this season, hold moisture in the soil longer during hotter times of the summer, and insulate your plants roots from the heat. Have fun and thanks for asking your question!
Thank you good information 👍
Hi Nehemiah! 👋 Thank you for watching and for letting us know. We hope it was helpful in your garden. 👍
Great video! I have black bark mulch and want to switch to red. I was just going to cover it since it is so low. Would you think that would be okay? I just have a few bushes that are definitely healthy in my beds.
Hi Damien. Great question. Switching out black for red bark mulch, as long as they are the same general size/texture or the red is a bit larger in size than the black, shouldn't really be a problem (if red is smaller, it will settle over time to let the black mulch show through later). Also be sure to keep your total mulch depth, including old and new mulches, no more than 4 inches thick. This way you get good weed suppression, but also it's not too thick for water and air to filter through for your plants to use. If this sounds good to you, then we say go for it! Have fun! 😀 If you feel up to it, post a picture on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and tag us so we can see your finished product.
@@SpokenGarden Sounds good to me! If I am going to a bigger chain for my mulch i.e. Lowe's, Home Depot, Tractor supply is there any mulch you would say to stay away from?
Another great question. Most of their mulch choices should be good, but we would stay away from any mulch having artificial coloring, materials, or additives, like pesticides or chemicals. Good luck and if you post a picture of your awesome work, tag us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, please, so we can see. 😃
Hello! We had an insane year for acorns falling from our oak tree. What if you have tons of acorns mixed in with the mulch? Do I have to remove all of it? Thank you!!
Is it better to Garden veggies in mulch or soil? Or combination of the two?
I live I zone 8b where the weather is hot and humid. I mostly use pine straw because I have several very large beds, and it’s cheaper and easy to spread. My sandy soil has now become very rich which I love, but my question is about damp pine straw. I see that underneath the top layers, the pine straw is matted and damp. Will this cause rot and/or mildew or maybe create a fungus? I’ve worked hard to have healthy soil, and I don’t want to be creating a future problem by not removing layers of pine straw. Thanks so much for this video. It was very helpful.
How else do you help prevent weeds? I have some flowers and a bush and don’t want to run the risk of killing them
i have alotta weeds sprouting up in my mulch (surrounds my home) Do i pull the weeds, then add more mulch or pull the weeks , spray weed killer then add more mulch? What mulch requires the least maintenance? I have wood mulch it seems
Hi John! 👋 Sorry to hear about the weeds in your garden, but it sounds like you are working on getting it under control. Nice job! We would recommend completely weeding your garden, then place down mulch or a weed barrier (like cardboard or burlap bags) and then mulch over that at least 2-4 inches thick. Spraying is definitely an option, but we steer clear of any spray in our garden. It's a personal preference. There are many different products out there, so choose wisely and always read the label (Sean was a certified pesticide operator for his job for over a decade, so he always made sure to read the label; "the label is the law" as they say). If you do mulch during this time of year (summer) when it's really hot, be sure to water thoroughly your plants before placing any barrier or mulch down so your plants don't start out with dry soil with new mulch on top. The new mulch will need to settle and water and air will need to find their way through it to reach your garden soil, which can take some time in certain situations, so to hedge your bets, water then mulch. Oh, for general mulch choosing, keep in mind that the larger your mulch pieces, the faster and easier water/air will move through it to reach the soil below. The small ther piece size, the slower water/air will move. Texture and color are very dependent on your tastes and what plants you already have in your garden and what you plan to add in the future. Hope that is helpful and good luck with your weeding. Keep us updated on your progress and thank you for watching. 💪👍😁
Above response brought up great point. Keep away from double ground mulch especially fine Sawdust and stick with the chunky which allows oxygen and moisture to percolate down to roots below.
Thank you for your video 😊 what are your thoughts around bark binder? I have a cherry blossom tree and it’s tough keep my beds clean without blowing mulch all over the place
Great video thanks guys very informative
Hi Manuel! 👋 Thank you for watching and commenting! We're so glad it was helpful! 👍🌿
What if I have black paper under my mulch? Should I still add new mulch on top?
Hi Larissa! 👋 Good question. If you are replacing one mulch with another and have a weed-barrier below the old mulch, and if the barrier is in good shape (no tears or missing portions or holes and isn't brittle or falling apart), then we would recommend removing the old mulch and getting it off the barrier, reposition the barrier if needed, and then lay the new mulch back down over the top of the weed-barrier. Hope that helps and thank you for watching. 😃
Great information and very well presented!
Glad you enjoyed it! Let us know if you want to know anything in more detail that we can make new videos for.
We are switching to rocks. The mulch requires replacing every year and its a lot of work. We are hoping the rock will last longer as it doesn't decompose and turn to dirt and allow weeds to grow.
Hi Dale! 👋 Sounds like a "solid" plan. See what we did there? 😉 For sure, rocks are a great alternative to woodchip and especially if you can get more longevity out of them where you live. There are some larger sized woodchip out there that take many years to decompose, so if you would still like to have woodchip there are options. Thank you for watching and commenting!
Hey first time gardener :) Yard covered in pine straw, lots of pine trees, do I need to remove the existing pine straw before adding more? And when is the best time to mulch? Thanks! Loved the video
Hi Jimmy! 👋 Thank you watching and your positive feedback. 😄 We love hearing that! For your old pine straw, you can leave it right where it is to put new pine straw right over it. Thanks again for watching! 😃👍
So what do you do if the mulch is infested with mealy bugs?
Good question. If its not too bad of an infestation, you could use Neem Oil over a few weeks or other organic pest control options. Check to see if any new plants you added to your garden this spring are infested, as that plant could have brought them in. Hope that helps and good luck! 👍😊😃
Good job! Should I replace faded mulch for new or just add new to it?
Thanks! And, it depends on the type of mulch, the look you want, or your overall goal. Let us know how we can help! 👍
how much money would you charge to take out the mulch per yard?
Hi Jeremiah! 👋 For landscape jobs, Sean would bid most jobs, especially like one you are asking about, with a whole cost to the job. If you wanted to estimate the cost of removal per yard, it depends on how you plant to remove the mulch (by hand, equipment, etc..), how many hours estimated to remove the mulch by the removal method (square footage or meters and depth, which can help with calculating the disposal fees), how many people will be working on the removal and their hourly wage (include taxes, health care, etc..), and then place your local tax on your estimated cost to get a full cost of the project. Also, include any gas cost, vehicle travel and gas, disposal fees, and other costs so you can give a customer a thorough estimate and have also a well thought out plan. Hope that helps and thank you for watching! 😃👍
@@SpokenGarden Thank you so much :)
Very informative! What do you recommend to do with the removed mulch? Build a compost or bag and dump?
Great question! You can incorporate it somewhere else in your garden for a walking path or weed barrier around a fountain or bench, you can compost it, or dispose of it. It depends on what old mulch you are removing and then on what new mulch you are adding, along with your garden goals. For example, if you are adding Arborist Mulch to a garden bed that already has Arborist Mulch, but just needs a fresh layer, then you don't need to remove anything. If you are switching out Bark Mulch or an engineered wood fiber (old) with Arborist Mulch (new) then the Bark or fiber should be removed first. Also, composting it is possible.
Thank you very informative
Glad it was helpful!
Harbour mulch is the name?
Hi there! It's arborist mulch. Hope you use lots of it in your garden! 👍👍
I like it
Hi Ben! 👋 Thanks for watching!
As arborists we witness first-hand why artificially raising grade suffocates roots requiring oxygen to function.
That's why it's necessary to remove most of old mulch back down to original grade before decomposing wood chips actually becomes added soil.
If we would not ask landscapers to put down new dirt on top of old dirt. Neither would we want our old mulch turning into new dirt on top of existing dirt either.
That's why mulching correctly by applying a light blanket of wood chips just enough to cover naked ground.
Allows Top O layer to mix in helping to build soil structure by improving already existing A layer.
This way already existing horizontal root system acclimated to a certain oxygen grade level won't face Suffocation and be forced to grow upward.
Hi Scott! 👋 You make interesting points and have a good perspective on this, being certified as an Arborist. With choosing any mulch comes the pro's and con's, including how much or even it it will decompose to become an added benefit to improve your garden's soil. If mulches like arborist chip are well suited for a gardens goals of improving drainage and building new healthy soil, removal of that chip on a regular basis negates the this soil building benefit, so we would say leave this chip if it still serves a gardeners goals. If it doesn't, then by all means, a gardener should remove it to place down what is needed.
Also, if you only apply a light blanket of of wood chips to cover the ground, then a mulches use as a weed suppressor, soil builder, erosion controller, and many other benefits of mulch can't be realized. Therefore, a layer of at least 2-4 inches is recommended by most horticulturists, including Sean, so any garden gets all the intended benefits of using a mulch. The best thing about plants, including trees, is that they can adapt and adjust to many different changes in soil elevation, moisture, temperature, and other factors over time to still be as healthy as they can in their specific location. Plants are truly amazing. Thank you for watching and commenting! 👍
Why wouldn't you have a weed barrier under the mulch?
Hi there! There are a few reasons to not use a weed barrier under the mulch. One is because it creates more work later when planting new plants. Also, that barrier will keep some of the great soil building particles from filtering down into the soil and then you can start building new soil on top of the weed barrier for weeds to start growing in. This can negate the whole reason for using the weed barrier in the first place. There could be other reasons, too. Definitely up to each gardener to do what's best for their garden. Hope that helps and thank you for watching! 👋👍
can you guys give me some advice on what to do with my landscape? Im a total noob. I would appreciate it I can send you some pictures. Is there an email?
Hi R.B.!! 👋🏼👋🏼 Sure, we would love to help. You can email us at seanandallison@spokengarden.com. We will keep an eye out for your email. 😊😀
@@SpokenGarden thank you i have emailed you now apologies for delay.
I was using a thick leaf mulch and then added arbors mulch on top. Is that going to cause any problems?
Hi Deborah! 👋 Great question! Yes this should be fine and that's what we do in the fall, let all the leaves come down and then place them in the beds to then cover with arborist mulch. Great weed suppression and lots of organic matter to add back into your beds. If you can limit the leaf thickness to 2 inches, this won't create too thick of a barrier for water to then filter though. As your leaves break down, they will also compact making that layer thinner. Be sure not to use any really waxy leaves, like laurel or oak because they break down really, really, really slow and that might not be what you want. Hope that all helps and have fun mulching! 👍Thank you for watching and commenting!
How to clean out weeds in a rock garden the next spring
2 words ....Artillery Fungus 👎🏻, if you’re not replacing mulch remember to at least cultivate it every season.
thank you i have emailed you now
Hi RB! Thank you for letting us know and we did receive it. We will respond later today. 👍😃😁
@@SpokenGarden ok look forward to the response
How to add nutrition to a rock garden when you wanna keep the rock
Hey there Cheryl! Thank you for watching and asking your question. Great question, too! It depends on if you are looking to add a quick nutrition shot to your garden for plants to take up right away or if you are looking to build your gardens soil over time. It you want to do both, you could start off with a liquid or pelleted fertilizer to add to right over the rocks to filter fast down to plant roots. Just be sure to read the fertilizer label to see if any rock or cement exposure to the fertilizer will lead to discoloring. Those are a couple of ways to give that quick shot of nutrients. To slowly build up soil fertility, you can add compost or other nutrient rich materials to either top dress over your gardens current soil or work it directly into the first couple of inches of garden soil. To do this, though, you will need to remove to the side the rock mulch to directly apply any material to your gardens soil. It's pretty labor intensive, but if you only have to do it once a year or every couple of years, then it's not too bad. This is just off the top of our head, so there are other ways to get fertilizer and nutrients to your plants, too. Hope this helps and good luck. Thanks again for watching and asking your question! 😉👍
I took over a rock garden that is pretty bad
Hi Cheryl! 👋 Thank you for watching and for commenting here. That's great you have a rock garden. Sweet! Sorry it sounds like it's not in the best of shape, but it also sounds like a good challenge that you can take on and make it soooo much better. Let us know if we can help and thanks for being here!😉👍
Need to make sure when using a cross style transition that you’re paying attention to the audio overlaps. This video is nearly unwatchable.
Hi Addam. Video production and editing can be tricky and this is one of our first videos we made when we started our channel. It's fun for us to look back and see how much we have progressed.
@@SpokenGarden I applaud your work, I should've communicated that in my former comment. What you're doing is fantastic and your growth as producers is very clear. Keep it up, I apologize for the terseness and patronizing nature of my original statement to you.
😔 Not a HOW TO REMOVE OLD MULCH video, just a ADD MORE MULCH video. Please Change Title for others.
Hi PoloMeF1Z3. We aren't sure which part or how much of our video you watched, but if you do watch the whole video, you will see and hear that we clarify quite clearly when to remove and when not to remove mulch and then also when to add or not to add mulch in specific situations. We would suggest that you watch the video again to make sure you clearly understand what we are saying so you aren't confused about this. Thanks for watching.
@@SpokenGarden I think they are looking for HOW to remove it, not when or if to remove it. I have the same question. Just use a rake and bag it up? Do we put more soil on top before adding new mulch? Then throw the old stuff away? Replace the liner? Spray anything? Thanks in advance! Love the video :)
@@kaylinde2321 Hi There! 👋 We are so glad you asked these specific and pointed questions, because we have wanted to actually do a Part 2 to this video and walk through exactly what you have described. Thank you for telling us exactly what you need, commenting, and for watching. Definitely stay tuned! 😃👍
why would you remove old mulch? just let it decompose into compost, it doesn't have any nutritional value but it adds carbon.
Hi Jordan!👋👋 We appreciate you asking your question. You would remove old mulch for different reasons that we lay out and describe in this video. You might want to completely change from one mulch to another and they won't mix or create a weird situation where if you have too much carbon, then it will tie-up and hold on to nitrogen too tight and not be available to plants, leading to nutritional deficiencies. Some man-made/manufactured mulches don't age well and can become spongy or mucky and won't release water fast enough, waterlogging garden beds and suffocating plants. Others can be too acidic. If you already, watched our vide, we would encourage you to watch it again to pick up on the different reasons we cover to remove old mulch. We hope this reply and our video are helpful to you! 😃😃
Why doesn't she introduce herself?
Absolutely not true ... those are choices not fact with plants. Wrong Wrong!
Hello Donald. What was presented in this video is based on our years of horticultural training and experience. Sorry this doesn't resonate with you. Have a good day.