What to do with old Pine Bark Mulch (lawn, landscaping, manure)

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

I am halping a friend fix the landscaping in their front yard. They have a bunch of plating beds covered with large pine bark mulch. This They would like to replace this mulch with a triple shredded hardwood mulch. So what do we do with the old pine bark mulch? is not the kind of mulch that can be worked into the earth as they are large chunks of pine bark. Should we just rake up the old mulch and put it in yard waste bags for the city to dispose of? Should we just put the hardwood mulch over the old pine bark mulch?

[wyoquilter]

Originally Posted by North_Raleigh_Guy

I am halping a friend fix the landscaping in their front yard. They have a bunch of plating beds covered with large pine bark mulch. This They would like to replace this mulch with a triple shredded hardwood mulch. So what do we do with the old pine bark mulch? is not the kind of mulch that can be worked into the earth as they are large chunks of pine bark. Should we just rake up the old mulch and put it in yard waste bags for the city to dispose of? Should we just put the hardwood mulch over the old pine bark mulch?

If your area has a green waste dumping site, (I.e Lawn clippings, branches, dead plants...) then I would dispose of the mulch there. In our area the local dump has a spot designated for that type of waste where it gets composted. It is free for us to dump that sort of waste and if you dump that type of waste you can get a free load of compost in the same trip.

If you don't have such a dump site, then I wouldn't think it would be a problem putting it in the regular waste as it will eventually rot and decay and actually help the earth rather than harm it.

[Gerania]

If it's not going to be too deep, you can put the new mulch over the old. Put on just enough to cover and add a light top dressing every year to keep it looking nice. All mulch breaks down over time, but pine bark deteriorates more slowly than shredded hardwood. It is a superior mulch, so don't get rid of it if you don't have to. And please, no tree mulch volcano's.

Google Image Result for http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles/frederick/2007/mulch%20volcano%20Tree.jpg

[bluepacific]

Originally Posted by North_Raleigh_Guy

I am halping a friend fix the landscaping in their front yard. They have a bunch of plating beds covered with large pine bark mulch. This They would like to replace this mulch with a triple shredded hardwood mulch. So what do we do with the old pine bark mulch? is not the kind of mulch that can be worked into the earth as they are large chunks of pine bark. Should we just rake up the old mulch and put it in yard waste bags for the city to dispose of? Should we just put the hardwood mulch over the old pine bark mulch?

Well the idea of mulch is not necessarily something you want to work into the earth. It's more or a thing you want to dress around on top of the ground around trees and shrubs. It will provide a measure of weed control, water retention and gradually break down to become part of the soil itself. For me it always seems to give a finished look around the plants.



Perhaps you were viewing it as compost, which is actually something you do want to work into the soil. Compost is the pile of already broken down oraganic matter that has been allowed to decompose a bit by natural soil organisms. The problem with working fresh new mulch into the soil like Pine bark is that it can actually take away some nitrogen from the soil used by the soil organisms to accomplish that process. Here's what compost should look like.



If you still don't want it there are usually many gardeners who will take it off your hands.

[33458]

Quite honestly, I would use the old mulch in another area, add manure/soil/amendments to it to compensate for nutritional imbalances or save it for drainage lining in pots/planters...I do actually work ancient mulch and autumn leaves in to the soil here, but that's because I otherwise have nothing but large rocks, hard clay and strong winds...when my compost is ready, that'll get worked in, too. (I am building dirt, the long hard way.)

Another suggestion...fill bags (marked) or large plastic pots and put on the curb with a sign: *FREE!*...weirdo gardeners like me will grab that five seconds after it's placed for perusal.

[DLK55]

Originally Posted by 33458

Another suggestion...fill bags (marked) or large plastic pots and put on the curb with a sign: *FREE!*...weirdo gardeners like me will grab that five seconds after it's placed for perusal.

Add another weirdo gardener to that list. If I were near your friend I would be over there shoveling it up myself.

To add to the above idea, see if you have a local "Freecycle" group. I had literally tons of white marble chips that I laboriously dug out of our front beds and relocated to a corner of our backyard. After pondering what to do with it for awhile, I decided to post it in our local Freecycle chapter. Before a day was up I had multiple people contact me about taking it off my hands. One couple came and took about a 1/3 of them, then a young couple that had just bought their first house came and took the rest. Shoveled it all up and carried it away themselves.

[rebbel31]

You could use it for plants in the garden. If you want to bag it, just put a sign on it someone would take it. I dont see any reason you couldnt put the hardwood mulch over it

[bluepacific]

Originally Posted by DLK55

Add another weirdo gardener to that list. If I were near your friend I would be over there shoveling it up myself.

No kidding!!!

In my former area I'd call tree trimming companies and asked them if they were in the area, could they dump their shedded mulch on my work location or personal property. What many don't realize, these companies would be happy to do that since they always have to haul it to a special location or public waste diposal area and pay for them to take it. It's convenient and saves them money.

Take special care though. Many of the hispanic employees out in those work locations have no toilette fascilities and will climb up into the back of the transport and do the proverbial dump when nature calls.

Sift carefully

[NCyank]

Originally Posted by bluepacific

No kidding!!!

In my former area I'd call tree trimming companies and asked them if they were in the area, could they dump their shedded mulch on my work location or personal property. What many don't realize, these companies would be happy to do that since they always have to haul it to a special location or public waste diposal area and pay for them to take it. It's convenient and saves them money.

Take special care though. Many of the hispanic employees out in those work locations have no toilette fascilities and will climb up into the back of the transport and do the proverbial dump when nature calls.

Sift carefully

You should be letting that fresh mulch age for a few months before spreading it anyway. By then any other nastiness would be degraded as well...but I would still wear gloves.