Last fall I cover my raised bed gardens with fallen leaves, pine needles and wood chips and covered that with clear visqueen. Is it better to till the mulch into the soil, clear a line to plant or plant thru the mulch or just remove and compost the mulch?
Since it didn't get tilled in to self compost through winter, the best action will be to remove and add new compost. Tilling in mulch right after the growing season will help to enrich the soil. Unfortunately, tilling now will not give it enough time to break down fully.
This article will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/veggie-garden-winter-prep.htm
We are thinking of replacing the mulch in our stone bordered areas around trees and shrubs. Is this okay or are there drawbacks? Do to height restrictions we have 3 hydrangea pee gee trees and a couple Japanese maples.
I have no pictures of this. It is our son’s garden in Gibsonia PA.
Yes. Woodchips do not contribute a full nutrient profile to the soil, and will require supplementation. This is especially true the more fresh the chips are.
Here is an article that will help you to amend your soil: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/the-importance-of-soil-for-an-organic-garden.htm
Leaf mulch is generally good for your soil, so digging it into the soil in the spring should be fine.
Here's a good article on leaf mulch:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/mulch/mulching-with-leaves.htm
I would rather not use plastic in my garden to keep out weeds. I would like to use hay. Since that does not look pretty I am wondering if I can use colored mulch on top of the hay.
Hay contains seeds, and will likely cause a different set of weed problems. It can still be done, as it makes a decent mulch if you can keep it from getting an infection. It just isn't the best for weed prevention, since it seems to cause as many problems as it solves.
When you use plastic to kill weeds, you do not leave it down as a barrier. This is TERRIBLE for the environment. It is mean to be taken up after it kills the weeds, then you you use the correct fabric weed barrier before laying your mulch.
Here are some articles that will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/mulch/best-mulch-for-garden.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/mulch/benefits-of-using-mulch.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/vegetable-weed-control.htm
If I put mulch around my peonies for example how do I keep it from getting spread all over? I have several areas where I want to contain it--like around all my rhubarb plants, a small peach tree, other parts of my yard, too. Like I want to put bark on my walkways but it's going to not stay put unless I can somehow contain it. I need to be frugal here, I'm not a woman with lots of money, I'm a Sr. on limited income, but I want a neat small yard/ garden. Thank you!
You can use rocks, bricks or lawn edging; lawn edgings come in many sizes and types available at most garden centers or even big box stores.
I am a new gardener and looking to cover an area with mulch. I plan to put down some weed control sheets and put down some decorative bark. However the prices for decorative bark are a bit high for me at the moment. So i considered putting down some other kind of mulch such as straw mulch and adding some bark on top so i wont need to use too much bark. Would that work or would that create some problems? Thank you in advance.
I have used different mulches to my gardens for years. It can be done so as to make your gardens more eye-catching. I have used a quilt like pattern at times to create interest. I also use a 3/4 inch decorative gravel mulch in some areas.