Gardening and Landscaping

How to Landscape With Black Rubber and Mulch

January 16, 2020

The kind of mulch you choose can depend on the amount you want to spend, the crops which are planted in the region and the access to materials. Wood chips, bark dust and sawdust are common choices for landscape mulch. Rubber is also ground up and used as a mulch. But rubber mulch might not be as effective in controlling weeds as other mulches, can be toxic to animals and plants, and might catch on fire, as stated by the Garden Professors in Washington State University. Because of this, black rubber mulch might be best used for landscaped areas which do not include plants grown for food.

Mark your landscaped area or desired mulch area by placing bets in its corners or every 8 inches around a curved location. Tie string from 1 stake to another to completely mark the route. If your area is already firmly defined, skip this step.

Cut and lay landscaping fabric over the whole area where you are likely to add mulch. If you have trees, shrubs or plants in the region, cut holes in the landscape fabric, leaving a hole that’s about 1 to 2 inches wider than the plant. In some instances, you might need to cut into your landscaping fabric from its outer edge in toward the middle, then cut the hole, to enable you to set up the fabric around trees or shrubs with broad branches.

Apply a layer of dark rubber mulch 1 to 3 inches thick across the whole region, with a rake to smooth out the surface. Do not put mulch in a few inches of plant or tree bases, since it can trap in moisture and cause decay, according to the University of Connecticut College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

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