Best mulch for woodland edge?
Jill
8 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (8)
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
8 years agoRelated Discussions
best mulching mower for wet grass and rain?
Comments (9)I've had really bad experiences with Craftsman & Husqvarna mowers in grass with any moisture. I'm a mulcher. Bagging doesn't make sense to me, for regular mowing, for many reasons that I won't get into here. Anyhow, it is common knowledge that mowers work best on dry, short grass-the drier & shorter, the better. However, in the real world, some of us live in wet climates & can't mow as often as allows the best cut by the mower. Because of such poor mulching performance with Craftsman & Husqvarna in less than optimal circumstances, I bought the Honda HRR2163VXA. I'm impressed with its ability to mulch wet grass, as long as it's not too tall. My experiences & observations are: 1. for good mulching you need a voluminous deck area to accommodate the grass 2. dual/double blade & related dual/double blad bolt makes for a much more efficient & stable set-up for mulching (thick, slimy grass mulch w/i the deck housing has weight & mass that can exert pressure on the blade ends that can tend to push the blade out of "true" centrifugal rotation) 3. despite the lower horse power "ratings" of the Honda motors, they are at least as powerful as the others 4. self propelled models on the Craftsmans & Huskies absolutely suck in wet grass I got my VXA used only a few x for the same price ($400) as the Huskie & Craftsman that I'd bought (& returned) that couldn't cut their way out of a wet paper bag. The combination of their "standard" decks, blades & self propulsion designs cause them to bog down very easily, including failure of the rear wheel drive system to operate. They can't hope to come close to comparing to the Honda. If only Honda offered the HRR series with the coveted GCV190 (opposed to the 160) motor! Have had no experience w/ LB, but would really like to try the acclaimed Duraforce motor of the older LBs on wet grass. Seems like an unstoppable mower. Oh, I think I'd add one or more Honda HRR or HRX series mowers to your list!...See Morewoodland edge planting suggestions
Comments (14)Hi Carol! Those pictures of the pokeweed look great. The contrast between it and the other variegated plants makes for a nice grouping. Do your neighbors know its a pokeWEED? My neighbors would probably smile nicely and then walk away and talk about all the weeds I have later. I would love seeds though. I think you know I have a weakness for variegated plants. Thanks for the suggestions and I'm sorry I didn't give enough info about the location. It's going to sound stupid, but I'm not totally sure if it is a moist area or not.... I've only been here since late June and there's been enough rain to keep all areas well watered. But I THINK it's a moist area. It seems the solid shale construction fill that sits just a few inches below the clayish topsoil fill of my yard(my soil needs help)funnels alot of the rain towards this area. There's some Jewelweed nearby but not in this particular area, so I think it's borderline moist. I do have some goldenrod that seeded in and I think I'll keep it(but keep an eye on it)... and I also like the culvers root and coneflowers... I think my biggest concern is that the plants will be able to hold their own against the pokeweed and goldenrod. But I will be watching, and I think I can coddle the cardinal flower a bunch since I always wanted to have a spot of it! I'm going to try and take a few pictures so you can see what's growing there now and get a feel for the area (its a fairly small area actually)and hopefully keep me from ripping out anything that I should keep. But.. it might be a few days before I get the pictures (painting rooms, company is coming Friday and there's a christening Sunday!) so don't give up on me. Oh and it's mostly an eastern exposure Sue! It should be a perfect spot for alot of things, right? Wait until you see the pictures. It is a mess right now with the invasives and I'm in coal country, so none of this ground is undisturbed, but I think I can make it a little more productive for wildlife!...See MoreBest source for native woodland perennials?
Comments (18)"kwoods - why do you highly recommend Prairie Nursery over the others?" Linrose, very robust (2nd yr?) plants and a diverse selection at very reasonable prices. Well packed and shipped in biodegradable packing material (excelsior which a put out for the birds to use as nesting material). The shipping is a bit high but the plants are ready to go straight out of the gate. Their seed selections are also excellent and coincide with their plant selections. If you're doing a large planting you can order plants for instant gratification and the same seed to fill in next year(s). "I am nuturing along some C. kentuckiense from SCL that came from seed collected at the single colony found in my state." Very cool! Nice to have the local genotype. I Have some kentuckiense out of flask from SCL that I'm on my fourth(?) year w/. Hopefully first blossoms this spring! "I have many Sarracenia species/hybrids/cultivars that require clean water to prosper." Again, very cool! I use a nearby pond to pump water to my bog where the Sarrs are located. Do you have one of those 100 gal tanks to collect rainwater, on those rare occasions, from the roof? Straight S. rosea is one I don't have that is very nice, good for you. I have been collecting antho-free (no red pigmentation) sarrs the last couple years. I hope they (and you) make it through the drought....See MoreDamp heavily mulched woodland area
Comments (6)I think R. viscosum (swamp azalea) and it's hybrids don't mind the wetness as much as some of the others but still a good idea to amend (sand) and mound or raise the planting sites for native azaleas in a wet area. Lemondrop is a nice late blooming yellow viscosum hybrid. Serrulatum (hammock sweet azalea) actually likes it a bit wet, while it's not very showy it can bloom into September. There is such a thing as the ever elusive "moist but well drained" soil which would give you lots of additional options. I'm thinking "heavily mulched" would mean lots of organics but that doesn't neccesarily preclude being well drained. If you dig a hole does it hold water? Clethra, Hamamelis virginiana, Lindera benzoin all like damp shade. Shadbush is more woodland edge but likes wet as well....See Moreenith
8 years agowisconsitom
8 years agoJill
8 years agos8us89ds
8 years agowisconsitom
8 years agoWendy Perez/Zone 7a
8 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDESThe Art of Green Mulch
You can design a natural garden that doesn’t rely on covering your soil with wood and bark mulch
Full StoryGROUND COVERSAsarum Canadense Adds Masses of Green to Woodland Gardens
Plant Canadian wild ginger in the eastern U.S. for a shade-loving native ground cover with spring flowers
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESNew Ways to Think About All That Mulch in the Garden
Before you go making a mountain out of a mulch hill, learn the facts about what your plants and soil really want
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESHow to Pick a Mulch — and Why Your Soil Wants It
There's more to topdressing than shredded wood. Learn about mulch types, costs and design considerations here
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Viburnum Rafinesquianum Colors the Fall Woodland
Plant downy arrowwood in eastern and midwestern U.S. gardens for spring color in the shade and bright red fall foliage
Full StoryGreat Design Plant: Sanguinaria Canadensis Lights the Spring Woodland
Bloodroot’s large, showy white flowers and attractive foliage brighten eastern woodland gardens in early spring
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Viola Pubescens Dots Woodlands With Yellow
Plant downy yellow violet in eastern U.S. woodland gardens for its heart-shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGGarden Tour: Colorful, Serene Woodland Near Boston
Exuberant perennials, outdoor rooms and a surrounding woodland come together to create a beautiful landscape in Massachusetts
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Polemonium Reptans Paints Woodlands Blue in Spring
Plant Jacob’s ladder in eastern U.S. woodland gardens for its bright blue flowers and delicate foliage
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Corylus Americana Awakens the Woodland Garden
Plant American hazelnut for three seasons of interest and to feed our furry and feathered friends
Full StorySponsored
More Discussions
s8us89ds