[tomwed]

What to do--What to do,,,
If I could hire someone and have the chips put down it might be the way to go. I know the landscaper is probably buying the chips or pine straw for less money.

I don't really have much of an area to cover, maybe 400 sq feet.

And do you think wood chips look better than pine straw? maybe fancier?

Any advice is appreciated.

[Opmoochler]

I just took out wood chips in favor of stone. I was worried about termites, and the dog was chewing them up all over the yard.

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by Opmoochler

I just took out wood chips in favor of stone. I was worried about termites, and the dog was chewing them up all over the yard.

thank-you
i never thought about termites..i don't have a dog,,
that's what i love about posting a question on totv,,,

[jimbo2012]

I really doubt there's a termite issue, millions of homes in the US use them.

If you were concerned you could use Cypress chips they are bug proof.

IMO chips look the best, and as they break down they add beneficial nutrients to the soil ie: roof of your plants/trees.

Stone does nothing, in fact some say they can over heat the roots & plants.

The chips can be raked to turn over once a year and look fresh.
Add new every 2-3 years.



.

[lanabanana73]

And I prefer the look of pine straw! It too is biodegradable and gives nutrients back to the soil. It's really about what type of look you prefer. I used Adam Neusbaum last year to refresh my straw. I believe it was $7/bale installed and they did a great job.

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by tomwed

What to do--What to do If I could hire someone and have the chips put down it might be the way to go. I know the landscaper is probably buying the chips or pine straw for less money.I don't really have much of an area to cover, maybe 400 sq feet. And do you think wood chips look better than pine straw? maybe fancier.

Mrs Fox and I recently "pine strawed" an area of around 150 sq ft in a couple of hours. It took that long because we first put down water-soaked newspaper (four layers thick) to keep out the light to help prevent weeds.

Eventually both the newspaper and the pine straw will rot down as nutrients for the plants, and hopefully the plants will have grown to cover the whole area so that we won't need to repeat the operation.

We used four bales of pine straw, bought from Lowes, but you can buy it cheaper elsewhere in bulk if you have the means to transport it.

[Fraugoofy]

We were told by our vet that the pine straw used in The Villages is from Georgia and can contain ticks, which cause heartworm. We used stone (black slate) and love the unique look.

[Shimpy]

Originally Posted by lanabanana73

And I prefer the look of pine straw! It too is biodegradable and gives nutrients back to the soil. It's really about what type of look you prefer. I used Adam Neusbaum last year to refresh my straw. I believe it was $7/bale installed and they did a great job.

When I moved in 5 years ago and saw straw the first thing that came to my mind was fire hazard. It could be from a cigarette from the lawn crew or lightning. Though not likely I prefer rocks since once down you don't have to redo it now and then.

[perrjojo]

[QUOTE=Fraugoofy;1143972]We were told by our vet that the pine straw used in The Villages is from Georgia and can contain ticks, which cause heartworm. We used stone (black slate) and love the unique look.[/QUOTE

Some say pine straw is a fire hazard but most people in the south use pine straw and I have never heard of it causing a fire. We lived in Georgia for the past 10 years, used pine straw and NEVER had a problem with ticks. Yes, we have a dog. Pine straw adds much needed acid to our soil. The only draw back with pine straw here is that the sun fades its color very rapidly and needs to be replaced twice a year. I am an organic gardener and would never suffocate my plants with stone. With stone you can not add compost which our soil needs. Shredded pine bark works nicely but the larger chips tend to float away and not stay in place. Also, just like pine straw, the color fades rapidly in our Florida sun.
I guess it is all a mater of personal preference but I choose pine straw. To me the stones look like Arizona

[Bonnevie]

I have pine straw and use Adam mentioned above. Quick, easy, efficient and I like the look of pine straw.

[tuccillo]

Heartworm comes from mosquitoes. If you give your dog heartworm pills they will be fine. I lived in Georgia for 20 years with pine straw and dogs and never had an issue. If you like pine straw, go ahead and put down pine straw.

Originally Posted by Fraugoofy

We were told by our vet that the pine straw used in The Villages is from Georgia and can contain ticks, which cause heartworm. We used stone (black slate) and love the unique look.

[Summerhill2015]

Beware of colored wood chips. Check out the OSHA safety data sheet online to see the health risks in handling this product. It is highly toxic to handle.

[Retiring]

Originally Posted by tomwed

What to do--What to do,,,
If I could hire someone and have the chips put down it might be the way to go. I know the landscaper is probably buying the chips or pine straw for less money.

I don't really have much of an area to cover, maybe 400 sq feet.

And do you think wood chips look better than pine straw? maybe fancier?

Any advice is appreciated.

Are you considering pine straw for cost or do you like the look? Personally, I like a dark beauty bark, it gives the yard a bit more of a sophisticated look. Also, marble chips are a possibility. The chips come in many colors. I’ve seen white chips for the body, with a red chip perimeter, looks nice and low maintenance too. Chips may also compliment your home exterior. However, in the summer heat marble may burn your plants if the chips are touching your shrubs or plants.

I’m sure TV requires approval for exterior color and alterations, does the front and/or back yard require approval?

[tomwed]

I just got back from golf and saw all these wonderful posts. thank-you all
I don't think I want stone.

I figure I have about 600 sq feet to cover so if I put it down at 3 inches deep [is that reasonable] I would need enough product for 150 cu ft. Does this sound right?

There is pine straw down now. My neighbors that have the dark bark do look more sophisticated. I have a concrete designer home. The smallest one they make. I forget the model.

The guy that cuts my grass gave me a price of 225 to 300 to take away the pine straw and replace it with mulch. I'm not sure what he means by mulch.

[Jima64]

Originally Posted by Fraugoofy

We were told by our vet that the pine straw used in The Villages is from Georgia and can contain ticks, which cause heartworm. We used stone (black slate) and love the unique look.

Maybe your vet was trying to push heartgard for the pets.