Comments on: Using Mulch in Your Garden

By: Julie Day

Julie Day — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:34:06 +0000

Chris, you can mulch your potted plants the same way as garden plants. Also, in pots, you can use more fragile mulches (such as mosses) that would break down too quickly in the yard. Check out our article on How To Dress Up Your Houseplants With Mulch - the tips apply both to indoor and outdoor potted plants.

By: Chris studies Mulching

Chris studies Mulching — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:53:34 +0000

Hi! Most of my plants are actually in pots, whereas most of the tips I find are for full scale gardens. Should the same principles apply? I really just want to mulch so I can recycle organic material in the garden.

By: Ben Erickson

Ben Erickson — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:20:22 +0000

Hi Denny, You can read the answer to your question about coloring mulch here:
How to Change the Color of Mulch

By: Denny

Denny — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:10:26 +0000

My neighbour cut a tree and the lanscaping company which cut the tree was kind enough to give a half load of natural wood mulch. Is there a way to color these wood chips to Cedar red color, so that it goes well with my lanscape?

Any input will be helpful.

By: MRS. TEDDER

MRS. TEDDER — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:08:50 +0000

QUESTION: A SECTION OF MY FRONT YARD HAS THE 1/2″ ROCKS
WHERE I HAVE PLANTED VARIOUS PERINNIALS; CAN I SPREAD MULCH ON TOP OF THE ROCK AND THEN MORE 1/2″ COLORED ROCK ON TOP OF THE MULCH OR DO I NEED TO REMOVE THE ROCK FIRST IN ORDER TO SPREAD THE MULCH?

By: DIY: Rental House Flower Bed Solutions - Danny Lipford

DIY: Rental House Flower Bed Solutions - Danny Lipford — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:01:01 +0000

[...] The easiest way to make your flower beds look nice and neat, without even needing plants, is with mulch. First pull out any weeds, grass, or brush. Then put down some landscape fabric or plastic, to keep weeds from sprouting. Finally, put down a thick layer of the mulch of your choice. You’ll be amazed how it makes an area look “tended.” [...]

By: DIY: Xeriscape for Drought-Tolerant Landscaping - Danny Lipford

DIY: Xeriscape for Drought-Tolerant Landscaping - Danny Lipford — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:01:08 +0000

[...] Using a layer of mulch around plants increases moisture retention and helps keep roots cool. See Using Mulch in Your Garden. [...]

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:49:53 +0000

You can buy polished river stones that look more like the wet stones. For a sample, check out:

http://rocktumblingsupplies.com/polished_river_rocks.htm

As for the bulk river stones at your local landscaping supply yard, the only solution I know of is to coat them with a “wet look” sealer, lacquer, or shellac. One example of such a product can be found at:

http://www.glaze-n-seal.com/sealers.html

I would recommend reserving that method for stones that will not be in contact with dirt or ground water, due to the environmental impact. Practically speaking, the sealers work best with stones imbedded in mortar, such as on a fireplace or backsplash.

If you find any other solution, please share. The stones just come to life when they are wet – it’s amazing.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:36:44 +0000

Is there a way to keep the river rock used in landscaping looking wet? Thanks, Dave

By: jeff-naturehills

jeff-naturehills — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:19:05 +0000

Your river rock bed looks great. I have one for drainage purposes but seeing your picture of he wet river rock makes me think about installing a small water feature.