Is there something you can use in place of mulch?
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Kathy on Mar 22, 2014I've heard of newspaper, pine needles, hay, pea gravel, pine straw (doesn't attract termites)Helpful Reply
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Wanda sinnema on Mar 22, 2014I buy a compost, it aids poor soil, it looks almost like bark, rather chunky, not fine like the stuff from you own compost.....I prefer GARDENER AND BLOOME brand. Don't know if its available in your area.. They have several,,, one is HARVEST SUPREME,, wonderful for all flower and veg gardens..another is their soil building compost....I'm sure the local garden center can direct you .....bad side,,,,, only in bags,, 1.5 cu ft..... or 3.0 cu ft..but they are easier to handle,,a few bags at a time..Helpful Reply
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Ri-Lee on Mar 22, 2014You can use different plant, that are ground cover. It will help keep the weeds out. I used ivy, it works good. and is very pretty. I used mulch for several years, and that got my soil good and rich, so now I use ivy.Helpful Reply
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Darwin on Mar 22, 20142 questions? Vegetable garden or flowers? What do you have against mulch? It keeps weed down & moisture in. Compost & mulch really enrich your soil which helps grow better plants.Helpful Reply
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Barb Rosen on Mar 23, 2014I don't use bark mulch in my flower beds, Beverly. Instead I use shredded leaves and grass clippings that have aged a bit. Shred the leaves by running over them with the lawn mower (if you have a bag model this is a breeze!). Make a compost pile with just the leaves and grass clippings and aerate by turning it a little with a pitch fork. It gets nice and loamy the longer it sits. Or you can just add directly to your flowerbeds. Green grass clippings add extra nitrogen to the soil and are good for mulching vegetables. I also place 5 or 6 layers of newspaper down, wet it with the hose and then put my homemade mulch down on top as a weed barrier. It all decomposes over time and makes the soil richer. (Note: don't use grass treated with anything but organic fertilizers or it may harm your plantings).Helpful Reply
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Douglas Hunt on Mar 23, 2014Mulch does not need to be bark, and Barb Rosen has given you a great option, but as Darwin says, mulch does help keep weeds down and moisture in, so I would be interested to know why you don't want to use some form of it.Helpful Reply
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Cheryl Pierce on Mar 23, 2014Cheryl Pierce. We have rocks that are around as 50 sent size. Is easy to put out .Helpful Reply
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