# Going Mulch-Free Worked Well



## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

I have planted flower garden beds off and on over the past 10-15 years. Some years I would get serious, other years I would let the bed go to seed. On the years that I was serious, I would use mulch and, wouldn't you know it, the weeds always grew through and made the garden look like a nightmare. I could never seem to keep ahead of the weeds.

Using what I learned about weed management from The Lawn Forum, I ripped everything out of my gardens last year. Believe me when I tell you, it was a total mess. They were vines and trees and shrubs and who knows what. It all went. And then I sprayed glyphosate over everything and made sure everything stayed dead. I never knew about glyphosate until coming here. That stuff is Magic In A Bottle!

Coming into the spring, I sprayed glyphosate down on everything yet again! And then I started planting some tall perennials in the back of the garden. You know, just to get a solid background going and see what these plants can do. The front of the beds were bare ground except for shards of mulch from past years here and there.

After planting, I sprinkled some Preen over the ground and, wouldn't you know it, it did a pretty good job of keeping the weeds at bay!

I was stunned!

Sure, I had some weeds pop up. There is some persistent yellow nutsedge that I am chasing around. I know that this will be a multi-year chase. When I spotted a weed, I just went out there with a very low pressure and directed spray of glyphosate to kill those buggers.

I think the secret to this success is not disturbing the ground because there is easily a five-year bank of seeds just waiting to sprout. Also, the pre-emergent, Preen, prevented new seeds from blowing into the garden and germinating.

Everything is growing nicely. I am sorely in need of a better eye for design. But, that's the nice thing about gardening... It is always a work in progress.

I will go back to putting mulch on my beds because it will help me keep the soil moist. I found that I had to water more than I prefer in the sunnier spots. I don't think I will add that much mulch because I plan to fill in all the bare spots with flowers.

All-in-all, it was a pretty good experiment. I'm delighted that what I learned right here has made me a better gardener. Thank you to everyone!


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## Harts (May 14, 2018)

Great work! This year has been a nightmare for me. I pull a couple dozen weeds out of the garden and almost overnight, 50 more pop up! I have used glypho in some areas that are easy to spray and little danger of killing any plants/flowers. Although I did accidentally (on purpose) kill a vine that I hated. I told my wife there is no possible way it was the glyphosate since I wasn't spraying in that area!!!

I have taken a stronger interest in my garden this year (as well as my lawn) and am starting to put a plan together which will include a pre-em. I will wait for the Fall when everything gets pruned and cut back so more of the soil is easy to get to.

I would almost prefer to have 3x more weeds in my lawn than have any in my garden. At least I can control the lawn a lot easier.

As for having an eye for design...that just isn't in my DNA. My wife sent me to the nursery this Spring with instructions on what to buy. I came back empty handed and a look of "wtf?" I didn't even know where to start!


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Harts said:


> Great work! This year has been a nightmare for me. I pull a couple dozen weeds out of the garden and almost overnight, 50 more pop up!
> 
> I have taken a stronger interest in my garden this year (as well as my lawn) and am starting to put a plan together which will include a pre-em.
> 
> ...


I have found that the key is to NOT disturb the soil. There is easily a 5 year bank of seeds in that soil. Do not let them see the light of day. Let them rot!

Glyphosate instead of pull. Use Preen to prevent new weeds from germinating that blow in from wherever. Step up to Snapshot when you start seeing results.

When you hit with glyph, use low pressure and a course spray. The collateral damage will be less than what a dog does to your lawn.

The design part is always a work in progress. Plant something, anything. Know that you will move a plant when you observe how it behaves over time. Move the plant AFTER it is done flowering.


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## Gibby (Apr 3, 2018)

Pics?


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