If you don't care about how it looks---thick newspapers and cardboard help to keep down the weeds---The weeds are out of contol this year because of all the rain---YUK.

Florence

Landscape cloth under the mulch will help.

Thanks for the advice.

Peaches

i put 3 or so inches layer of wood mulch where i need to keep the weeds down. this really helps keep weeds from coming UP but, it does't do much for the weeds I generally get...the ones that blow in as seeds from the weeds that grow in the surrounding woods and field. the take root in the mulch and can grow pretty well. good news of that is that it's easy to pull weeds out of the mulch...easier than those that are established in harder soil.

i did the weed barrier cloth the first time i mulched and i've regretted it ever since. the mulch breaks down nicely and creates really great organic addition to the soil ...IF it can get to the soil. which it can't if you put the barrier under it. i've found that, after a few years of mulching on top of the barrier, i have nice soil but, when I dig down i soon hit the barrier cloth and have to dig thru it to hard, clayish, packed soil. i really wish i didn't have the barrier ...then, i'd be able to dig the nicely composted wood mulch into the top layers of the soil and get better, softer, more organic soil down near the roots. just my 2 cents.

In areas that I am not going to plant soon, I put cardboard down, and then about two inches of hardwood mulch on top of that. The cardboard does eventually break down, and the mulch makes it look nice. You will have to eventually replace the cardboard. Hope that helps.

the weeds are outrageous this year. i am usually so on top of them, but they are out of control and everywhere.

i put down barrier cloth under a path i laid - double cloth, sand, pea gravel -- this year weeds are in abundance all throughout my path. easy to pull, but a PITA nonetheless.

fusty - i had a similar situation in an area but by cutting into the fabric every 5 feet or so, i was able to pull it out. took a lot of patience and a day of just the right weather, but i got it done -- all 25 feet of it. lately i just stick with newspaper or cardboard.

A good old fashion hoe works well to get rid of weeds. Also, plant a thyme or other groundcover which can take limited walking over would prevent most weeds. The landscape fabric does not prevent weed seeds which are blown or dropped in from rooting in the mulch.

I took all the weeds out of the parking strip between the sidewalk and the street, in front of my house, last year.

I planted some low growing junipers and deutzia as well as two trees. I put in at least 3 inches of hardwood mulch.
Nonetheless, I had to take a hula hoe to the bed, twice so far, this Spring. I am certain that the mulch made my job easier, though I can't say it was actually an "easy" job.

But next time I add mulch to the bed I am first going to lay down a layer of cardboard or newsprint. What a great idea!

Put me in the camp that uses thick layers of newspaper under mulch. It does keep the weeds at bay and the earth worms just love it. Can't beat a method that works and provides additional benefits over and above the intended use!

Alexa