# Mulch washout by driveway



## sonicboom141 (Apr 25, 2020)

Right by my driveway I have mulch and whenever it rains it just gets washed out. This is the only downspout on the corner so it handles a lot of water. Further down the driveway there is another mulched area which also is sloped towards the mulch bed so it just keeps washing out. Any ideas? Brick edging could be possible, or a concrete barrier perhaps. I could also maybe just use some black metal trim between the mulch and driveway?

A more involved process would be to maybe run piping under the concrete sidewalk slab and just take it to the end of the road?


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## LA Basshole03 (Jan 17, 2019)

Just bought some of these for this same problem. Installing them this weekend. Just want to use it as a dam to keep the mulch in where it is supposed to be.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/302999894


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## Mocajoe (Apr 9, 2018)

sonicboom141 said:


> Right by my driveway I have mulch and whenever it rains it just gets washed out. This is the only downspout on the corner so it handles a lot of water. Further down the driveway there is another mulched area which also is sloped towards the mulch bed so it just keeps washing out. Any ideas? Brick edging could be possible, or a concrete barrier perhaps. I could also maybe just use some black metal trim between the mulch and driveway?
> 
> A more involved process would be to maybe run piping under the concrete sidewalk slab and just take it to the end of the road?


My property in general and several of the landscape beds have significant slopes. I have brick edging as well as plastic edging in some of the steeper beds. For many years, Scott's Earth Grow was my go to mulch. Even with the double edging, after every rain storm I would have to rake up the mulch that floated over the edging. This year I got tired of hauling and installing 40 plus bags and paid a landscaper to install double ground hardwood mulch which is much finer than the Scott's. Best decision I have made in a while. No strain on my back and once watered in, the finer mulch sticks like glue. It has rained most of the past week, all beds are intact.


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## LA Basshole03 (Jan 17, 2019)

Got my edging installed today. I'm happy with the way it looks. Blends in from far away.


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## greencare (Sep 14, 2019)

I know it may seem a bit counterintuitive, but have you tried adding more mulch?! Unless you have an overflow of water from gutters during heavy storms, properly mulched areas should not be washing out I would think.


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## ScottW (Sep 16, 2019)

I just use the black metal edging stuff between my beds & driveway. It's cheap, easy to install, does the job well enough and is thin enough to not be an eyesore.

If the beds have any slope to them, make sure you're using hardwood mulch and not pine bark. I made that mistake once. The hardwood stays put pretty well, but the pine bark is lightweight stuff that's easily carried by water or wind.


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## SNOWBOB11 (Aug 31, 2017)

You can use plastic paver restraint to hold the mulch in place. Works and looks great. You can get the flexible one so it would go around your curved walkway and still stay right against the concrete.


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## Uptain-Matt (Mar 24, 2019)

Pine straw has worked better in my beds. It does wash that much at all. Once it settles it kinds mats together.


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## macrophylla (Jul 9, 2020)

Can you direct the downspout splash block to direct the water more onto the driveway?

If not, you could use Mulch-lock adhesive from Home Depot, I've used it on some pretty steep grades and it works great. Since then went to pine straw as it stays put much better on its own.


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## Awar (Feb 25, 2019)

I installed "no dig edging" and it's cheap, super easy to install, works well to keep mulch in the bed, and you can barely notice it from the street:





You can find it at Home Depot & Amazon and you can get the straight top if you prefer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HF4VLWK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SdqcFbY4K4608


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