I want to mulch around house-what is the best way to deal with grass

[blownalcohol]

Helllo,

I want to mulch around my house, and plant some evergreen type plants.
What is the easy way to deal with the grass before mulching? I do not want to end up with a mess in a year or two.
My thoughts are to have someone bed edge around the house. Then take the next 3 weeks to spray roundup a few good times to make sure everything is dead. Then, maybe by the 4 week start bring in mulch. I would not plant anything until next year.

 

[creeks_edge]

Helllo,

I want to mulch around my house, and plant some evergreen type plants.
What is the easy way to deal with the grass before mulching? I do not want to end up with a mess in a year or two.
My thoughts are to have someone bed edge around the house. Then take the next 3 weeks to spray roundup a few good times to make sure everything is dead. Then, maybe by the 4 week start bring in mulch. I would not plant anything until next year.

Depending on the amount of grass, you may want to consider a sod cutter. Relatively inexpensive to rent and easy to use it'll get you down to bare ground in a hurry! If you do spray, I would wait 4-6 weeks at least before planting to avoid damage to new plantings. Also ensure beds are raised properly to avoid foundation damage and "wet feet"

Good luck!

 

[grnspot110]

Use a "permeable" landscape fabric too! To help keep weeds from growing through your mulch. ~~ grnspot

 

[SeniorCitizen]

Remove all vegetation and pour concrete sloped an in/ft. away from the house. Every place you would like a shrub locate a block out in the pour. Vary the block out sizes and shapes. Some may be round, some ellipse, some square or rectangle. The openings with square corners should have about a 4 inch radius and rebar in the corners to help prevent cracking at that location. Will it look a little commercial like the downtown bank. Probably, but folks will think you are wealthy.

 

[BKBrown]

Just MHO, but I wouldn't put any wood mulch around my foundation - It will call all the bugs and especially TERMITES to the home.

 

[mystreba]

Just MHO, but I wouldn't put any wood mulch around my foundation - It will call all the bugs and especially TERMITES to the home.

Generally, pine nuggets are ok. But definitely don't use shredded mulch anywhere near the house. And no matter what you use, don't completely cover the slab or foundation - you need to be able to see a few clear inches of slab/foundation up to the first course of siding or whatever exterior finish you have. This way you can easily spot termite mud tubes.

They also have non-organic mulching materials now, made from recycled tires and such.