[CraigP]

We are new to the villages and live south. Like most, our house was surrounded with what I believe is pine needle mulch(?). I guess is is what most new homes come with from the builder. We have been told by pest people that this is a haven for certain types of roaches and that we are much better off with rock, other types of mulch (including rubber). Do other agree? What have people had the most success with as far as an alternative to what we have and who would be a good vendor to provide it.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Craig

[jimbo2012]

Pine straw is good, pine chips are better, you want something that breaks down and benefits the soil or roots of the plants, it also hold moisture.

Talk to folks at the plant clinic they will say the same, they will also recommend strongly against rocks because they add nothing.

As far as pests, I don't see them as an issue, maybe the the people just don't want do a little extra spraying.

I spray once a month along the foundation perimeter except in the cold months a gallon of spray lasts a long time for $12


If you put the pine straw in bags I'll pick it, I can use it in one area

[TunaFish]

It depends on what you like. I have used cypress mulch and also mini pine bark. I don't like the straw or rocks.

[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by CraigP

We are new to the villages and live south. Like most, our house was surrounded with what I believe is pine needle mulch(?). I guess is is what most new homes come with from the builder. We have been told by pest people that this is a haven for certain types of roaches and that we are much better off with rock, other types of mulch (including rubber). Do other agree? What have people had the most success with as far as an alternative to what we have and who would be a good vendor to provide it.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Craig

Yes, the developer only puts in pine needles and they glorify it by calling it "pine straw." It is cheaper than any other type of mulch, and I even hesitate to call it mulch because it is so airy and doesn't provide protection from the heat/sun or cold. My personal opinion is that it is sloppy looking and does nothing to enhance anyone's landscaping. It also has to be spread more often because it disintegrates quickly.

The best mulch you could possibly use is cypress followed by melaleuca but they are difficult to find in this area. The great thing about cypress is that in a heavy rain, it does not float away; it stays in place. Pine nuggets and/or bark are also good choices mulch.

Stones and rubber add nothing to our sandy and clay "soil" (I hesitate to use that word!), and while stones can look nice and many homes have them, you run the risk of possibly frying your plants and shrubs. After some years the stones sink and become embedded in the dirt and you either have to add to them or remove them and start all over. Rubber is probably the worst thing you could use because it floats away in the rain and becomes a mess. When rubber mulch becomes embedded in your grass . . . forget it!

You will get opinions from others mentioning the benefits of stones and rubber, but the fact of the matter is they may look good, but that is the extent of it; there is no benefit. Neither stones nor rubber are eco friendly and are not mulch!

[juneroses]

Cypress isn't considered Florida-friendly because it's harvested by destroying desirable trees growing in our wetlands.

Melaleuca also grows in the wetlands but is an Australian native and considered invasive here. Cutting it down and chipping it so it can be used as a mulch is considered a positive for the ecosystem.

I personally like and use pine straw.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by juneroses

Cypress isn't considered Florida-friendly because it's harvested by destroying desirable trees growing in our wetlands.

Melaleuca also grows in the wetlands but is an Australian native and considered invasive here. Cutting it down and chipping it so it can be used as a mulch is considered a positive for the ecosystem.

I personally like and use pine straw.

The landscapers are trying to sell you stone or rubber.

I like pine straw. All of the beautifully kept common areas have pine straw, but you must keep an adequate layer to keep out weeds.

[rjm1cc]

Pine back seems to work. But only 1 1/2 years-experience
Skip the needles as it will require annual maintenance.

[Happydaz]

Rubber mulch has no place in the landscape. Rocks may look nice, initially, but years down the road the weeds become a problem as wind borne dirt settles around the rocks and the weeds get a foothold. Rock mulch belongs in the desert areas of Arizona and Nevada where you are growing cacti and succulents that love rocks, heat, and a bone dry surface. Having rocks as a mulch in Florida looks out of place, in my opinion. Natural bark mulches are very good and pine straw is a good choice as well. All of these break down and add nutrients to the soil. The fact that you don't have all that landscape fabric like rocks do means fertilizer and water moves through the naturally mulched surface with ease. I like pine straw as I am a gardener who plants many smaller flowers and plants that do well with the lighter coverage of the pine straw. Heavy bark mulches interfere with the growth of these smaller plants. Bark mulch takes some of the nitrogen out of the soil as it breaks down and can slow the growth of the smaller plants. "Florida Friendly" mulches are natural bark and pine straw mulch. As mentioned already Melaleuca mulch is preferred over cypress as it is an invasive plant, whereas the cypress is native and a desirable tree growing in our wetlands.

[obxgal]

If you go down to the new Antrim Dells courtyard villas in Brownwood, you will see that The Villages are now using stones in front of the villas.

[billethkid]

the less grass the better.... we are all trying to have a lush lawn like the one back home....but we need to be reminded we are essentially trying to grow grass on a sand dune!

[tomwed]

Where do you buy pine straw?
How much does it cost per bale? [if that's what it's called]
How many square feet does a bale cover?

[kcrazorbackfan]

I don't like the rock I've got in my landscaping; how does one get rid of the removed rock (removing it myself and not hiring a landscape company)?

[jimbo2012]

Originally Posted by juneroses

Cypress isn't considered Florida-friendly because it's harvested by destroying desirable trees growing in our wetlands.

Are you sure about that because cypress is harvested for its wood as a regular renewable resource here.

When I've been to two mills here they have huge piles of mulch to sell.

Looks FL friendly???

[Happydaz]

Originally Posted by tomwed

Where do you buy pine straw?
How much does it cost per bale? [if that's what i called]
How many square feet does a bale cover?

You can get pine straw at Home Depot and probably Lowes. Some landscape companies will deliver pine straw. Google pine straw in The Villages and you should get some contacts. Price per bale is around $5. Coverage depends on how much is on there before you add any more. You should stir up the old mulch with a fork or garden rake as sometimes it can get a little moldy. Just stir it up to get it aerated before adding new pine straw. I have a huge garden on a corner lot with large beds in the lawn as well as around the house and I order 20 bales. They aren't that big. If you get high quality pine straw it looks nice when added into your beds. I fold handfuls under the small flowers and plants, being careful to not put any near the stems. I also do the same for the shrubs and trees. It looks great to me when it is finished. I use a lot of ground covers, flowers, and shrubs under my palm trees so it has a more natural appearance than the rocked beds with plants spaced every two or three feet looking like they were planted by humans in a line up of "toy soldiers." Properly planted, the pine straw doesn't even become much of a factor as all you see are ground covers, flowers, bushy shrubs, and trees.

[jimbo2012]

try

Browne Distributors
Address: 2600 U.S. Highway 441, Fruitland Park, FL 34731
Phone352) 326-8461

they sell pine straw & 3 size grades of pine barks mulch, the smaller mulch breaks down quicker to benefit the soil.

they also deliver