I Live In An Area With Fleas. I Would Like To Mulch With Cedar Mulch, But Very Expensive; So 1/2 Cedar 1/2 Shred Hardwood. Which O

Question

ne should go on the bottom, which one on top?? I am having 8 cu yd of cedar delivered and 8 cu yards of shredded hardwood to put 2.5 inches in my beds around the property. I can’t decide if I should put the cedar down first and then the shredded hardwood, or vise-versa, to try to keep pests out of my yard. Specifically fleas, termites, ants, etc. The cedar is $40 cu yd and shred hardwood is $25 cu yd. Thank you for any advice.

Answer 1

Here's an article about flea control:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/flea-control-for-gardens.htm
Here's another about using wood mulch: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/mulch/bark-mulch-in-gardens.htm

I think laying the cedar mulch down first would be best to deal with the fleas that are already there. Or just mix the two. You may have to resort to some other treatments if your insect problem is severe, but don't forget - we need insects in the garden - maybe not fleas. Just make sure there's no wood mulch near your house or outbuildings, especially if you know you have termites.

If this is a persistent problem in your area, you may be able to get the best advice from your local extension service. Here's a link with their info:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/extension-search?zip=22032&radius=10&extservsearchaction=search&submit=Search