Proper mulching can reduce problems.


Improper Mulching -
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/M/mulch.html

As far as herbicides go:
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman/spring.html

I would not add more than 3-4" of mulch.

Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Consulting Forester & Tree Expert
www.treedictionary.com
Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.

wrote in message
...
What is the best way to eliminate weeds in mulch?

We purchased a home and the previous owner maintained a beautiful
backyard. We are moving in soon and would like to keep it that
way I do not have much a green thumb yet, but I am trying to get
up to speed as quickly as possible although there is much to learn.

Walking through the backyard the other day I noticed there were many
little weeds growing in the mulch. I say in the mulch because the
previous owner said he had a weed barrier under the mulch. I assume
weed seeds landed on the mulch and are beginning to sprout. I would
prefer not to pick them by hand because there are thousands of them
littered throughout the mulch.

And in the future is it a reasonable idea to apply pre-emergent on top
of the mulch to prevent the problem?

We also have a crushed granite path that is suffering similar
symptoms...I assume this should be treated/prevented in a manner
consistent to the mulch?

What are some solutions to this problem?

Thanks in advance for your expertise.