# Rookie Mulch Job



## Ecubed (Apr 26, 2018)

My backyard is 5,000 square feet and has nothing but grass. I am wanting to put mulch beds around the entire perimeter so I don't have to string trim around the privacy fence anymore. And in the mulch beds flowers and shrubs. Was looking for advice on what to do with existing grass before I lay down mulch. Hit it all with roundup? Scalp it really low and then roundup? Lay cardboard boxes on top of grass and kill it off that way? Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated. Also any tips on best kind of mulch? Or mulch to avoid?


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Roundup is easiest. But cardboard isnt too hard, either. Plus its virtually free and not poison. If you do go roundup route, do not scalp first. You want as much of the gly as possible to get on the leaves, so chopping them down would have a negative effect on the kill.

After the grass is dead, you will want to dig the dead grass out of the beds. It is laborious work, but required for a nice looking end product IMHO. At very least around where the grass meets the mulch, you want to dig a nice trench. Otherwise your mulch and your lawn will blend together in no time. A square shovel like this works great for cutting the edge.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Razor-Back-23-5-in-Wood-D-Handle-Square-Point-Shovel-2594300/204476139

In terms of type of mulch, I think that is personal preference. I personally hate working with the dyed stuff. After a day of laying a couple yards of mulch you are covered in black dye from head to toe made up of god knows what. No thanks. I get 5 or so yards delivered every spring. Here is the stuff I get... you can check with places around you to see what you have available.

https://theyardnj.com/product/organic-root-mulch/


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## krusej23 (May 8, 2018)

If you are going to dig the grass out anyway, don't waste your time killing the grass. IF it's a big area, look at renting a sod cutter to make the job easier.


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## Ecubed (Apr 26, 2018)

gm560 said:


> Roundup is easiest. But cardboard isnt too hard, either. Plus its virtually free and not poison. If you do go roundup route, do not scalp first. You want as much of the gly as possible to get on the leaves, so chopping them down would have a negative effect on the kill.
> 
> After the grass is dead, you will want to dig the dead grass out of the beds. It is laborious work, but required for a nice looking end product IMHO. At very least around where the grass meets the mulch, you want to dig a nice trench. Otherwise your mulch and your lawn will blend together in no time. A square shovel like this works great for cutting the edge.
> 
> ...


Thank you for all the information and especially the roundup/scalping tidbit. And I now also know to avoid dyes 😂


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## Ecubed (Apr 26, 2018)

krusej23 said:


> If you are going to dig the grass out anyway, don't waste your time killing the grass. IF it's a big area, look at renting a sod cutter to make the job easier.


Are they very difficult to use? Plus wouldn't it also remove a lot of good fertile soil off the top?


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## Ecubed (Apr 26, 2018)

Also have another potential issue. On one side of fence, the yard grades downward towards privacy fence. Every mulch job I have seen, grades away from fence to the lower grassline. I'll post a picture in the morning, but is there anyway to do something with that?


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## krusej23 (May 8, 2018)

Ecubed said:


> krusej23 said:
> 
> 
> > If you are going to dig the grass out anyway, don't waste your time killing the grass. IF it's a big area, look at renting a sod cutter to make the job easier.
> ...


I think they are pretty easy to use. If you want to remove the grass, you are going to have to remove some good dirt.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

+1 in killing with roundup first. It will soak it up and kill the roots so I disagree with the above that if you're digging it out don't bother. You don't always get all the roots when digging out. Also, dead grass is much easier to remove


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

I always kill it first. You will miss some roots that if they are still alive will find a way to survive. You will be fighting grass in your beds for a long time. Easier to kill now than after it is planted with flowers and shrubs.


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## krusej23 (May 8, 2018)

Are you guys saying that if you take a sod cutter and cut the top 2-3 inches of topsoil and grass plant off, the grass will still grow back in his landscaping? That would be impressive I would think and if it's true then I should never have to worry about killing my grass from mowing too low.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

krusej23 said:


> Are you guys saying that if you take a sod cutter and cut the top 2-3 inches of topsoil and grass plant off, the grass will still grow back in his landscaping? That would be impressive I would think and if it's true then I should never have to worry about killing my grass from mowing too low.


I was talking about digging out by hand. I am sure the sod cutter would be much cleaner and would do a better job getting all the material out.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

krusej23 said:


> Are you guys saying that if you take a sod cutter and cut the top 2-3 inches of topsoil and grass plant off, the grass will still grow back in his landscaping? That would be impressive I would think and if it's true then I should never have to worry about killing my grass from mowing too low.


If you scroll up, you can see what "you guys are saying"


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## krusej23 (May 8, 2018)

SCGrassMan said:


> krusej23 said:
> 
> 
> > Are you guys saying that if you take a sod cutter and cut the top 2-3 inches of topsoil and grass plant off, the grass will still grow back in his landscaping? That would be impressive I would think and if it's true then I should never have to worry about killing my grass from mowing too low.
> ...


I was just making sure that you are saying that if you cut grass out below the soil level that it will grow back. I think it was a miscommunication because I was suggesting using a sod cutter and not use roundup and you disagreed with that because it would leave grass but I think you were referring to using a shovel to dig the grass out.


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## krusej23 (May 8, 2018)

gm560 said:


> krusej23 said:
> 
> 
> > Are you guys saying that if you take a sod cutter and cut the top 2-3 inches of topsoil and grass plant off, the grass will still grow back in his landscaping? That would be impressive I would think and if it's true then I should never have to worry about killing my grass from mowing too low.
> ...


That makes sense. I could see that since I did that with a small landscaping area around our basement windows. I was mostly saved by the fact that the sod company left the sod netting under the sod so some of it, I was able to pull up by hand since the roots didn't go very deep.


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## Ecubed (Apr 26, 2018)

Alright the roundup killed all of the grass in the designated area. Now I'm tilling up the dead grass(freaking sucks). Now I have read that the dead grass would be excellent source of nutrients as it decomposes. Is it still safe to use even though it was killed off with roundup? This is for a flower garden not vegetables.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

No problem at all for flowers.


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## Ecubed (Apr 26, 2018)

gm560 said:


> No problem at all for flowers.


Thank you for your help. Hoping to finish up by sunday.



This is progress I made last night. Still have to do a bit more and then make a clean edge. Want to till deeper towards the grass edge and move dirt towards fence to try to make a more even surface.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Looking good. Using a spade shovel at the grass edge is a good way to get a clean line.


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## GA_Bermuda (Jun 22, 2019)

That looks pretty good.


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## Ecubed (Apr 26, 2018)

Due to this job taking place in mid summer I changed up my plan. Used Canna lillies in the back row, salvia in the middle and Petunia annuals for the front row. Also mixed in a few Marigolds(heard they help with mosquitos). But so far off to a decent start, I think it will really look good when everything gets bigger.


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## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

Looks nice. :thumbup:


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## OnyxsLawn (Mar 15, 2018)

Looks like you've gone from rookie to pro! be sure to keep lots of water on those new plants.


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## Ecubed (Apr 26, 2018)

Well thank you, this subforum inspired me to do something. I have been hitting it with water every morning. When I first had them planted they were really tiny and I honestly thought they were going to die. But they have bounced back nicely and are just now starting to thrive.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Lookin good! Hit the petunias with some fertilizer. They are big feeders and will definitely respond for you.


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## kds (Apr 28, 2017)

That looks really good!


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## Ecubed (Apr 26, 2018)

gm560 said:


> Lookin good! Hit the petunias with some fertilizer. They are big feeders and will definitely respond for you.


Ya I did, I am trying out Hyrbrix fertilizer recommended by Pete from GCI Turf. We shall see how they take off. Also hit the area with RGS before I laid the mulch.


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## OnyxsLawn (Mar 15, 2018)

Miracle grow bloom booster is another good option. My geraniums have bloomed like crazy since I started using it.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Ecubed said:


> gm560 said:
> 
> 
> > Lookin good! Hit the petunias with some fertilizer. They are big feeders and will definitely respond for you.
> ...


Cool. Not familar with that product specifically, but like @OnyxsLawn mentions a water soluble fertilizer regimen will keep the blooms rolling all season long. I use both a granular slow release (i am assuming this is the category Hyrbrix falls into) as well as weekly/biweekly water soluble.


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## Ecubed (Apr 26, 2018)

gm560 said:


> Ecubed said:
> 
> 
> > gm560 said:
> ...


You would be correct. I will look into a water soluble to add into the regiment


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## Ecubed (Apr 26, 2018)

Just started my water soluble fertilizer this morning and while I was out there I noticed an absolute infestation of mushrooms. Any advice on how to get rid of them? Are they something to be concerned about? I have heard they provide plants with nutrients although I'm not sure if that's true or not.

Here's a few pics


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