Post #2198116

2026-05-04 18:42 UTC

Please, for the love of sanity, do not hide your weed infested area by covering it with plastic sheeting and a layer of bark mulch. Two years from now you will have a bunch of weeds growing in rotting mulch with a layer of plastic underneath. Removing the resulting mess is a PITA. Use brown paper underneath, if you really want a bark mulch aesthetic. It will last as long as the mulch, and you can till it in later. #gardening

Replies (4)

@rootsandcalluses@mstdn.social 2026-05-04 19:52

@trachelipus@masto.ai Or just grow something in the area :) You can still start things off by covering but some nice plant from your area will need little maintenance. To quote the previous owner of this house: „There are no weeds where there are strawberries.“

Open ##2567227
@mdione@en.osm.town 2026-05-06 07:50

@trachelipus@masto.ai I have seen landscaping companies setting down a plastic sheet in, for instance, their work on village and city public spaces. I always wondered how much is that material really compostable...

Open ##2567231
@deepmud@mas.to 2026-05-14 18:55

@trachelipus@masto.ai cardboard is ok, too

Open ##2567232
@clew@ecoevo.social 2026-05-14 19:02

I have sort of a "civil disobedience" reasoning about plastic soil covers -- you don't need it unless you need it enough to use it uncovered. Which will remind you to remove it as soon as possible and plant something you want into the bare soil! But oh my gosh, people refusing to understand that weed seeds will grow in anything they use as mulch, there will be no "no weeding" outdoors space... this is why to take up gardening, have something to aim for not just attack. @trachelipus@masto.ai

Open ##2567233