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Old 04-13-2014, 02:54 PM
 
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I'm in the process of wanting to make a nice area in front of my house for a garden or at least some nice shrubs etc..

I want to put mulch down and cover the area but I've seen before where people put plastic trash bags down under the mulch.

Is this common practice? Any suggestions?
Thanks
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Old 04-13-2014, 02:57 PM
 
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Cardboard. It works and enriches the soil as well.
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Old 04-13-2014, 03:11 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mack Knife View Post
Cardboard. It works and enriches the soil as well.

I've also heard newspaper. Any experience?
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Old 04-13-2014, 03:12 PM
 
Location: A coal patch in Pennsyltucky
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I doubt that people are putting plastic trash bags down under the mulch. People used to use sheets of black plastic but they are typically using landscape fabric, which is biodegradeable. This stuff is better than plastic but I'm still not a big fan. You will eventually have parts that are exposed. Your best bet is to use 3-4 inches of wood chip mulch. Yes, you will eventually get weeds but they are relatively easy to pull out.
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Old 04-13-2014, 03:22 PM
 
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Here is an article about using newspaper instead of cardboard:

How I Smother Weeds with Newspaper

You have to keep it wet until covered or it will blow away, of course.
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Old 04-14-2014, 01:07 AM
 
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I plan to lay down newspaper, then straw on top of that.
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Old 04-14-2014, 02:24 PM
 
Location: NJ
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I never heard of putting down newspaper. Seems like that would break down very quickly.
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Old 04-14-2014, 11:22 PM
 
Location: Southwest Washington State
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Statz2k10 View Post
I've also heard newspaper. Any experience?
I do this. You start with damp or wet soil, press the newspaper down in the soil to dampen and to get it to stay in place. Then you spray with water. Then you mulch. The newspaper will break down in 1-2 years. And it will definitely smother weeds. I think the paper breaks down faster in sun, than in shade.
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Old 04-14-2014, 11:43 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Statz2k10 View Post
I've also heard newspaper. Any experience?
Newspaper does work. Newspaper will decompose much faster than cardboard so it depends on your goal. If you will be replanting in a short time, the newspaper might help you get there in less time.

I have noticed a lot of mushrooms growing up through cardboard but not in all locations so I can't correlate that to the cardboard vs anything else.

Either one will reap you a great reward in the form of rich soil that will surely be a benefit to growing. If the colored mulches will be there for a while as ground cover, I'd stick with cardboard. Soak it real well though because it will lay closer to the ground and give everything boost underneath to start rejuvenating the soil.

What also works fantastic? Stop by some coffee houses that buy the beans in big sacks and get some of the empty sacks. They work fantastic. Soak them in water, lay them down and cover with mulch.

Another trick which works very very fast for killing grass and anything else is to simply lay wide boards of redwood down. Anything underneath will die and be absorbed back into the soil. The worms will come up and digest everything. The super thing about this is that the boards are reusable and can easily be moved to other areas. Do not use pressure treated lumber! Plywood works too buy can delaminate and becomes trashy.
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Old 04-15-2014, 12:10 PM
 
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Originally Posted by Mack Knife View Post
Do not use pressure treated lumber! Plywood works too buy can delaminate and becomes trashy.
If you're concerned about the chemicals in pressure treated lumber you should probably also be concerned about the chemicals holding together the plywood.
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