Does mulch prevent weeds from sprouting and growing around palms?

[Phoenikakias]

I must do something wrong or omit an important action. I used special pine bark against weeds and this is the result before and after cleaning Maybe size of particles used as mulch is also important.

Edited November 26, 2014 by Kostas

[Pip]

If the mulch is thickly laid then any newly germinated weeds seeds should be smothered. Any weed seeds that blow in and grow are easier to pull. For best results weeds need to be controlled before mulch is used as mulch won't stop weeds but reduce the number.

[NorthFlpalmguy]

The best way I have found is to surround the palm with weed block fabric and then lay your mulch on top of that. Round up for post emerge along with a long lasting pre-emergent herbicide is effective as well, I use Diuron in my container palms and it is very effective.

Edited November 18, 2014 by bbrantley

[Pete in Paradise Hills]

The best way I have found is to surround the palm with weed block fabric and then lay your mulch on top of that. Round up for post emerge along with a long lasting pre-emergent herbicide is effective as well, I use Diuron in my container palms and it is very effective.

mulch alone doesn't stop weeds for me. as you say, the fabric does the trick

[Kostas]

For me,

mulch + shade -> few to no weeds

mulch + sun -> few and easier to pull weeds but regular weed pulling needed

The above have a lot to do with weed pressure as well though. When you full and thoroughly weed the garden and keep it weed free for a few years, weed pressure gets really low everywhere except the edges, where weed seeds continually get blown in by the wind and weeding is inevitable if these areas are moist and sunny. But mulch(especially a chunky one), allows fewer weeds to sprout and makes weed pulling much easier

[Phoenikakias]

I think it depends a lot on the enviroment around one's property. If your property neighbors a savannah type open land, a big part of your efforts wil prove futile, ofcourse it has also to do with type of base soil. If soil has a greate water capacity already from top layers, this wiil further promote weeds growth.

[Kostas]

You know my place, moist soil, high rainfall, good temperatures and a savanna like neighboring property I wish to get, haha

So perfect setting for weeds, yet I don't have problems. I only selectively weed, taking out the weed species I don't like and leaving all ornamental looking ones that I like or won't annoy my plants.

[DoomsDave]

MULCH MULCH MULCH!

It won't stop ALL weeds, but it sure helps control them. There are a few species that pop up through wood chips, for example.

[palmazon]

weed seeds are everywhere - not just on the surface, but throughout the soil profile

mulching adds a loose layer of substrate, making weed control easier

meaning, newly germinated weeds may be easier to pull out, but

there is NO MAGIC ALL-ENCOMPASSING WEED CONTROL

vigilance and a good grip will always be necessary to yank weeds

[mnorell]

I happen to think your weeds are rather attractive. I certainly prefer your first picture to the second. I personally encourage a diverse ecosystem and that includes volunteers unless they pose real problems. The benefits are a natural appearance for your landscape, a rich world of insects, bacteria and various micro-organisms to enrich your soil and that goes up the chain to invite birds, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, et al. Have you thought of using the ornamental peanut, Arachis pintoi, as a uniform groundcover? It is beautiful, discourages many weeds, and is a nitrogen-fixer to give your

plants lots of free fertilizer. If you really want a bare-earth look then your best bet is to establish a good canopy. In my garden, I refuse to use pesticides, herbicides or landscape fabric as these are all very detrimental to the landscape and environment. I have seen my landscape flourish using this simple system of allowing nature to regulate itself with minimal intervention.

[smithgn]

Mulch normally does not help with weeds where I live. It certainly slows them down, but doesn't completely eliminate them.

[MattyB]

I suspect that you're not applying it thick enough for the size of bark chunks that you have, which are really meant for decoration, not weed suppression. The large chunks are just allowing the weeds to poke through. If you have a dense, well rotted, black compost then you can mulch to a depth of 2" and that might work to suppress the weeds. But with a large bark you need to mulch to 6" at least in order to choke out the weeds. Put the compost down first, nice and thick, and then you can top dress with the decorative bark.

[Phoenikakias]

I happen to think your weeds are rather attractive. I certainly prefer your first picture to the second. I personally encourage a diverse ecosystem and that includes volunteers unless they pose real problems. The benefits are a natural appearance for your landscape, a rich world of insects, bacteria and various micro-organisms to enrich your soil and that goes up the chain to invite birds, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, et al. Have you thought of using the ornamental peanut, Arachis pintoi, as a uniform groundcover? It is beautiful, discourages many weeds, and is a nitrogen-fixer to give your

plants lots of free fertilizer. If you really want a bare-earth look then your best bet is to establish a good canopy. In my garden, I refuse to use pesticides, herbicides or landscape fabric as these are all very detrimental to the landscape and environment. I have seen my landscape flourish using this simple system of allowing nature to regulate itself with minimal intervention.

With an 800 € water bill just for the water consumed during July, August and September I can not be fond of any weed!

PS

And I do not own a swimming pool...

[Kostas]

I get a 50Euro water bill for 2 every months of usage. And 1-2 150Euro ones each summer

[mnorell]

I happen to think your weeds are rather attractive. I certainly prefer your first picture to the second. I personally encourage a diverse ecosystem and that includes volunteers unless they pose real problems. The benefits are a natural appearance for your landscape, a rich world of insects, bacteria and various micro-organisms to enrich your soil and that goes up the chain to invite birds, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, et al. Have you thought of using the ornamental peanut, Arachis pintoi, as a uniform groundcover? It is beautiful, discourages many weeds, and is a nitrogen-fixer to give your

plants lots of free fertilizer. If you really want a bare-earth look then your best bet is to establish a good canopy. In my garden, I refuse to use pesticides, herbicides or landscape fabric as these are all very detrimental to the landscape and environment. I have seen my landscape flourish using this simple system of allowing nature to regulate itself with minimal intervention.

With an 800 € water bill just for the water consumed during July, August and September I can not be fond of any weed!

PS

And I do not own a swimming pool...

LOL I think you've just explained your weed problem! Try cutting your water use down and changing watering habits from frequent shallow waterings to occasional long, deep watering of your landscape plantings. This will encourage root-growth downward rather than shallow outward growth, and your surface-level weeds will disappear! Your water bill should also recede from "swimming pool" amounts! I would also agree with Matty's note above that a thick layer of smaller, composting mulch (rather than big, blocky bark "nuggets") would be a better technique. It will help conserve moisture and make it much easier to pull any weeds that to sprout. It will also encourage beneficial microfauna. Once your garden is well-established with these techniques, you should only occasionally need to water in-ground plantings, even in your relatively summer-dry climate.

[CYPALMS]

The best way I have found is to surround the palm with weed block fabric and then lay your mulch on top of that. Round up for post emerge along with a long lasting pre-emergent herbicide is effective as well, I use Diuron in my container palms and it is very effective.

By placing a weed fabric and mulch on top of it, aren't you in fact limiting the benefits of mulch itself and turning it to decorative only? Or does decomposition of mulch also take place even with the weed fabric between it and the soil?

[Ben in Norcal]

The best way I have found is to surround the palm with weed block fabric and then lay your mulch on top of that. Round up for post emerge along with a long lasting pre-emergent herbicide is effective as well, I use Diuron in my container palms and it is very effective.

By placing a weed fabric and mulch on top of it, aren't you in fact limiting the benefits of mulch itself and turning it to decorative only? Or does decomposition of mulch also take place even with the weed fabric between it and the soil?

I can confirm this. The mulch certainly does not decompose very rapidly. My clay soil turned to rock underneath. Ripped it out and palms are much happier.

[Tropicdoc]

I have heard newspaper with mulch on top is good. I'm gonna try that in spring. The newspaper decomposes and still let's water through. Then each year another layer of newspaper and then more mulch

[Tropicdoc]

A food ground cover such as Asian jasmine or creeping jenny will do wonders too

[Tropicdoc]

Good ground cover not food! Not sure if Asian jasmine is edible

[Phoenikakias]

Well in mid October 2013 I applied a lot of compost in hope and anticipation of rainfalls. IT DID NOT RAIN AT ALL in the following month, compost dried out and eventually got swept away by the wind before the beginning of rainfalls.

[KennyRE317]

i have a pretty good layer of mulch throughout my planters and i get very very little weed growth and when i do get some weeds they're usually just along the concrete edging mostly because mulch isn't piled as thick right there. before doing my yard i got a good amount of weeds

[DoomsDave]

Nothing eliminates weeds.

They're a worse problem when the sun hits the ground, though. That's when you get Bermuda Grass, Purple Nut Sedge, etc.

A shady canopy will very sharply reduce weeds like that.

But, they will still be there, just not the Huns they used to be. More like the Milquetoast Weekend Warriors. Instead of a surprise lawn you don't want, you'll get a few strands here and there.

A hole in the canopy will reveal how fiercely virile those Milquetoasts can become, overnight. I once removed an Archie, and the grass popped up, and made turf in about a month. It expanded to the very edge of where the shade began. Quite startling, didn't take a picture . . .

[_Keith]

It is easier to get rid of nuclear waste than weeds. Accept what you can control and learn to love the rest.

[DoomsDave]

It is easier to get rid of nuclear waste than weeds. Accept what you can control and learn to love the rest.

and relatives and luggage . . . .

[Hammer]

Others on his forum have had nightmares with roots growing into weed fabric. I avoid it like the plague.

I have had great success knocking back weeds by layering compost over the soil surface with bloodmeal mixed in. Over that clean cardboard or newspaper. On the top layer I put composted mulch.

Any weeds that do sprout are suffocated under the cardboard. Weeds that sprout above the cardboard have nowhere for roots to go. They are easy to pull. The compost under the cardboard works it's magic on the soil. This also feeds the earthworms and helps hold moisture in the soil.

[Tropicdoc]

Hammer, that sounds like a winning combo. That's what I'm going to do this spring. Love it! Compost, then newsprint, then cypress mulch. I will be planting lots of Asian jasmine, too. It gives a nicer look than bare mulch imo

[Hammer]

The only downside is the paper and cardboard rot. So you have to repeat every so often. But on the positive side it is earthworm heaven as I mentioned.

I should have mentioned this before...like with any mulching scheme be sure to give a little space around the base of the palms.

Enjoy the results!

[MattyB]

When doing your initial mulching project, keep in mind that it's important to battle the initial weeds that pop up so they don't get a chance to get established. For about the first year, you'll see the different species of weeds pop up at different times of the year. Spray, pull, or smother with more mulch and the next year you'll see little to no weeds. From then on you've won the battle.

[Dave-Vero]

I've done well with cardboard for smothering bermuda grass, but several weeds will grow happily in whatever mulch is applied above the cardboard.

[_Keith]

I've done well with cardboard for smothering bermuda grass, but several weeds will grow happily in whatever mulch is applied above the cardboard.

Yep, Nutsedge will grow right through anything, And don't forget to differentiate between perennial and annual weeds. Both are treated differently. And while you can never win the battle long term, it does get easier if you do as Matty says and nail each generation before it gets a foothold.

[Moose]

I've done well with cardboard for smothering bermuda grass, but several weeds will grow happily in whatever mulch is applied above the cardboard.

Yep, Nutsedge will grow right through anything, And don't forget to differentiate between perennial and annual weeds. Both are treated differently. And while you can never win the battle long term, it does get easier if you do as Matty says and nail each generation before it gets a foothold.

That is very true Keith. Hitting nutsedge with round up as soon as it appears seems to give me a bit of control.

[Tropicdoc]

What about the product called preen around palms?

[Josh-O]

I think Matty's method would be your best bet???? I've seen his garden and I saw no weeds where there is mulch applied around his plants. Also having all that mulch is just going to further feed the palms with micro nutrients from the decaying matter over time.