[tuccillo]

There is no such thing as "pushing heartworm medicine". You either give your dogs heartworm medicine or there is a reasonable chance they die of heartworm disease. Sorry to be so blunt but I guess you haven't lived in the south before.

Originally Posted by Jima64

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

[Retiring]

Originally Posted by 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.

I believe mulch is a generic term for anything you put atop the soil. Bark, beauty bark, wood chips are specific materials. The wood comes in several shades of brown and various grades. Be very specific as to what you want, don't leave it upto the landscaper.

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by Retiring

I believe mulch is a generic term for anything you put atop the soil. Bark, beauty bark, wood chips are specific materials. The wood comes in several shades of brown and various grades. Be very specific as to what you want, don't leave it upto the landscaper.

thank you
good advice

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by 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.

Friends used colored bark mulch (deep brown) and the dye leached out and stained their new driveway - go with natural if you want wood

[Kazmi]

Here in our part of the north mulch and bark are two different things. Mulch is shredded wood and bark is chips of wood. Each is made from different types of wood like cyprus, cedar, pine, etc. Mulch decomposes faster and does not float away like bark seems to.

We have been putting down deep brown colored mulch around our home for many years and the color has never stained our driveway, walkway, etc. It fades (to a washed grey) but not as quickly as the pine straw. We only have to put a new topping on about every other year or so but that may have something to do with the northern climate versus Florida's.

[midtee9]

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.

Hi,

Any contact info.....phone.....business name.......address for Adam?

Thanks

[HiHoSteveO]

Originally Posted by midtee9

Hi,

Any contact info.....phone.....business name.......address for Adam?

Thanks

PINE-STRAW-DELIVERY

He will just deliver or deliver and install. Only puts down what you need and hangs the strings on his truck mirror as he does them. Counts the strings when done. Does a nice job.

[bagboy]

[QUOTE=perrjojo;1143993]

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.[/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

Although the original fires didn't start in pine straw, the Windsor Green condo fire which damaged or destroyed 26 buildings in Myrtle Beach and the Barefoot Resort fire which destroyed almost 100 homes and damaged another 100 in North Myrtle Beach were both a direct result from fire embers hitting pine straw and spreading rapidly.
You can Google North Carolina pine straw fires especially the Raleigh-Durham area for more pine straw fire devastation. From experience, I wouldn't have it near my home but many people don't see pine straw as a risk.

[Jima64]

Originally Posted by tuccillo

There is no such thing as "pushing heartworm medicine". You either give your dogs heartworm medicine or there is a reasonable chance they die of heartworm disease. Sorry to be so blunt but I guess you haven't lived in the south before.

Guess the moderators allowed your posting to get by. Born and lived most of my life in Florida. And yes some very competent vets do push dog meds for heartworms even though ticks do not cause them. My dogs are on a generic heartworm med bought other than the overpriced vet location. Next time do not assume something about me , please.

[TNLAKEPANDA]

Anuone have a # for Adam?

[perrjojo]

Originally Posted by TNLAKEPANDA

Anuone have a # for Adam?

Go back to post 22. Adam is a very nice young man and it is a family business. I also have him top dress all of my plants and lawn each spring with black cow compost.

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by Kazmi

We have been putting down deep brown colored mulch around our home for many years and the color has never stained our driveway

The problem with the bark my friends used was that it was light bark stained to look like dark bark - maybe redwood bark costs more? Using a naturally dark bark should be fine.

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by perrjojo

Go back to post 22. Adam is a very nice young man and it is a family business. I also have him top dress all of my plants and lawn each spring with black cow compost.

thank-you for the lead
His prices look very good. Did you go with the pine straw or the bark nuggets?

[tuccillo]

Yes, and the moderators let your off-topic post go through also. Your original post referred to vets pushing Heartworm medicine, as if it was unnecessary. The important term you used is "pushing", which carries a negative connotation. You make reference to ticks but the Heartgard brand does not kill ticks, it is a Heartworm prevention drug. Yes, you can buy Heartworm pills for a lower cost than at a vet's office if your vet writes you a prescription after testing your dog for heartworm. I did it for years.

Originally Posted by Jima64

Guess the moderators allowed your posting to get by. Born and lived most of my life in Florida. And yes some very competent vets do push dog meds for heartworms even though ticks do not cause them. My dogs are on a generic heartworm med bought other than the overpriced vet location. Next time do not assume something about me , please.

[perrjojo]

Originally Posted by tomwed

thank-you for the lead
His prices look very good. Did you go with the pine straw or the bark nuggets?

My preference is pine straw. The nuggets can float in heavy rain. I have used shredded pine bark before and it stays in place very nicely.