Anyone else here have a house that has a ton of landscaping?

The house that I bought a couple of years ago turned out to be more than I bargained for. The people that lived here before me were really into their yard, and im having a hard time keeping up with it.

The worst part is that there is this huge mulch island in the front with two trees planted in it. The mulch island is being overtaken with weeds and other forms of plants. I just dont know how to clean it up/contain it.

Anyone have any ideas or recommendations?

I have two properties and I was once quite anal about the landscaping.

Nature is going to do what it wants to do.

I eventually admitted that fact to myself, I was able to cut out about half of the work I was putting into it all.

The only way to be weed free in the yard is by using a landscaping service (or being retired) so realize you'll never get it all out and you'll stop wasting as much time attempting to do so.

Purchase a large container of Roundup. Spay the heck out of everything that is growing in the mulch bed, that you do not want growing in there. A few days later, it will be dead.

Suggestion #2? Demo the mulch bed, throw down some grass seed, and then just mow and weed eat around the trees.

Ok, we solved that. Now, who can help with some tips on manscaping?

(04-22-2016, 07:55 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: Ok, we solved that.  Now, who can help with some tips on manscaping?

Keep after it, regularly.  Otherwise the bushes get out of control, and clog the razor..

(04-22-2016, 07:59 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Keep after it, regularly.  Otherwise the bushes get out of control, and clog the razor..

Overgrowth is a definite concern.  It may take a team to tackle this.  

(04-22-2016, 03:07 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Anyone else here have a house that has a ton of landscaping?

The house that I bought a couple of years ago turned out to be more than I bargained for. The people that lived here before me were really into their yard, and im having a hard time keeping up with it.

The worst part is that there is this huge mulch island in the front with two trees planted in it. The mulch island is being overtaken with weeds and other forms of plants. I just dont know how to clean it up/contain it.

Anyone have any ideas or recommendations?

Concrete !

(04-22-2016, 03:07 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Anyone else here have a house that has a ton of landscaping?

The house that I bought a couple of years ago turned out to be more than I bargained for. The people that lived here before me were really into their yard, and im having a hard time keeping up with it.

The worst part is that there is this huge mulch island in the front with two trees planted in it. The mulch island is being overtaken with weeds and other forms of plants. I just dont know how to clean it up/contain it.

Anyone have any ideas or recommendations?

Mexicans.

(04-23-2016, 10:35 AM)Rotobeast Wrote:  
Concrete !

Not really related to concrete but this reminded
Me of how much I love the yards out west.    The basic rock yards.    Those must be a gem to sort out.  

(04-23-2016, 12:09 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Not really related to concrete but this reminded
Me of how much I love the yards out west.    The basic rock yards.    Those must be a gem to sort out.  

I have a stone garden, in part of my front yard.
There's going to be more, if I have my way.
I have steep banks that are a pain to mow.
I'll likely terrace them, as well.

(04-22-2016, 03:07 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Anyone else here have a house that has a ton of landscaping?

The house that I bought a couple of years ago turned out to be more than I bargained for. The people that lived here before me were really into their yard, and im having a hard time keeping up with it.

The worst part is that there is this huge mulch island in the front with two trees planted in it. The mulch island is being overtaken with weeds and other forms of plants. I just dont know how to clean it up/contain it.

Anyone have any ideas or recommendations?

Clean out the mulch (Burn it in an outdoor pit) remove weeds (spray or hoe), lay down plastic (pin the edges), lay down new mulch. We clean ours out yearly. Mulch is quite cheap and usually only keeps its color for a year.

Ivy is a good ground cover

(04-23-2016, 02:43 PM)Goalpost Wrote: Ivy is a good ground cover

Kudzu is better.

(04-23-2016, 05:31 PM)Beaker Wrote: Kudzu is better.

Makes great cover for snakes, too!

(04-22-2016, 07:09 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Purchase a large container of Roundup.  Spay the heck out of everything that is growing in the mulch bed, that you do not want growing in there.  A few days later, it will be dead.

Suggestion #2?  Demo the mulch bed, throw down some grass seed, and then just mow and weed eat around the trees.

Large quantities of Rundup can be dangerous to some trees.

(04-24-2016, 10:55 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Large quantities of Rundup can be dangerous to some trees.

Well, perhaps I was a bit overzealous when I said spray the heck out of everything unwanted, in the area.  Roundup is actually pretty effective in small doses.

(04-23-2016, 12:59 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Clean out the mulch (Burn it in an outdoor pit) remove weeds (spray or hoe), lay down plastic (pin the edges), lay down new mulch. We clean ours out yearly. Mulch is quite cheap and usually only keeps its color for a year.

I thought the whole point of a mulch bed was not having to do as much work?  This sounds like it is more trouble than it is worth.

I would just lay down plastic and cover it with crushed stone or gravel.  The areas by my walk that are done like that never get weeds.  I always thought that if you used the plastic under it mulch would work the same way. 

The only time I used mulch was when I planted some very small trees and the mulch was supposed to help keep moisture in the ground. 

(04-24-2016, 10:55 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Large quantities of Rundup can be dangerous to some trees.

And honeybees. Round Up has been linked to Colony Collapse Disorder.

If you are going to use a sheeting material under your mulch, use a landscaping fabric and not plastic. The fabric allows for adequate water and nutrients to reach the roots of your bushes. Plastic will starve them of this. Of course the downside is that eventually weeds will find their way through the fabric although it will take several years. Even when it does it is very manageable with Round Up or the occasional weed pull. 

I too am getting tired of this landscaping shit....

(04-23-2016, 02:43 PM)Goalpost Wrote: Ivy is a good ground cover

I hate you. 

The people that lived before me had some obsession with Ivy. The shit is everywhere and is over taking everything. 

I think im going to just spray the hell out of the mulch bed in front with weed killer and then mulch over all the dead stuff. 

I ended up clearing out one side of the front of my house completely and planting some new bushes. It was a lot of work but it looks a lot better.