Bette wrote:

I have seen several lovely homes in our area and they seem to have a
dark mulch around their trees
and flower beds.

Does this truly keep the weeds down?
Should we mulch in the Fall or Spring?

Bette

Mulching can help keep the weeds down due to cutting down on the light,
but is best if an anti weed membrane is used undernieth. In the end
weeds will grow anywhere and can start from seeds spread by wind,
insects & birds. It is however a lot easier to pull out weeds in the
mulch compared to soil, as they are less likely to break off and
regrow. If you are trying to be cost effective try using bin bags with
tiny drain holes in them. I have used expensive membrane that some
weeds actuall grew through. Not sure best time to mulch as I bough it
in a massive bag from a farm.

Stu
http://www.cateringappliancesltd.co.uk