Wood mulch beds will need more weeding maintenance than rock beds due to the natural composting cycle of the wood mulch. For wood mulch beds you should walk the beds once a week and pull or spray (weed killer) any weeds you come across. For rock beds you should walk the beds once a month and pull or spray (weed killer) any weeds you come across.
Don’t be alarmed if you see a few weeds within a couple of weeks of the installation of your wood mulch and rock beds. As the dust on the wood mulch or rock settles it can be enough to support life for a seed that has blown in. Just pull these weeds as you see them.
Another common area for weeds to occur fairly quickly is along any edge, such as the foundation of the house or along the edging itself. Once other key area is the immediate area around any plants. These weeds would be in the area where the hole was cut in the poly or the fabric. In wood mulch beds you can put down a granular pre-emergent weed killer in the spring, and follow up again as needed during the course of the growing season. This can be very helpful in wood mulch beds without fabric.
Over time your wood mulch beds will thin out due to the wind blowing it away and decomposing. The color of the mulch will fade over time as well. Natural mulches such as cedar or shredded hardwood will need to be dressed up every 1 to 2 years; this is due to the discoloration of these products. Dyed mulches will need to be dressed up every 2 to 3 years. Dyed mulches will hold their color longer than the natural mulches. When redressing beds, it is recommended that you add about 1” of fresh wood mulch.
We usually have a spring top dress special on wood mulch. If you are interested in this service please give us a call.
