Mulch Pathways For Your Garden

The Benefits of Mulch Pathways in the Garden: Weed Free and Low Maintenance Garden Pathways.

Whether you’re starting to plan your garden or are looking to improve both the aesthetic and functionality of an existing garden, don’t underestimate the value that mulch pathways can bring.

If you choose the right mulch and apply it in the proper way, you can traverse your garden with very little maintenance and no weeds to boot.

5 Best Mulch Types to Use For Garden Pathways

• 1. Wood Chips: Wood chips are my favorite choice for a garden pathway. They have the most natural appearance and are one of the most cost effective. The average cost can range between $18-$40 per cubic yard. Wood chips are comfortable to walk on and have the additional benefit of water retention around your garden. These come in many verities, I like cedar or cypress the most for their natural pest repelling qualities. Wood chips will break down over time but are pretty durable. As they breakdown, they are adding to your soil health which is the winning determination for me. You can’t go wrong when choosing wood chips for pathways.
• 2. Gravel: Gravel is a nice choice for areas that are a little more heavily traveled. If you receive a lot of rain in your area this is also a wonderful option as they improve drainage and help to keep your soil in place. Gravel will require the least amount of maintenance. Gravel can be bought fairly cheaply for around $24-$75 per ton. It is more expensive if purchased in smaller quantities.
• 3. Pine Straw: Pine straw is the best budget option for sure. Pine straw is lightweight, making it easy to spread around. Pine straw decomposes fairly slowly meaning that you can easily make it through a year without having to reapply. It will eventually add some organic matter to your soil without breaking the bank. You can buy a bale of pine straw for around $15-$30.
• 4. Cocoa Bean Hulls: Coco bean hulls as mulch act as kind of a luxury option. The hulls provide a deep rich color that is natural and will easily outlast a dyed mulch. Coco bean hulls smell great, especially when first applied. The cost is a little higher at around $28-$50 per cubic yard. Coco bean hulls are very durable, outlasting both pine straw and wood chip so your investment will be a lasting one.
• 5. Rubber Mulch: Rubber mulch is my wildcard pick. This mulch makes me feel like a kid when I walk on it, the springiness is a joy. Rubber mulch does a nice job at diffusing water but won’t hold it in. It costs a little more upfront at around $8-$10 per square foot but will last as long as gravel mulch, reducing the cost in the long run. Don’t worry about it blowing away either, I haven’t lost a nugget yet.

Pathway Width and Depth

When creating a mulch pathway, you’ll want to do a little planning first. What is the primary use for your pathway? Will it be solely a walking path or will it be a working path that will accommodate kneeling and the traffic of a wheel barrow or cart?

It is recommended that your mulch pathway be about 3 feet wide for use as a general walking path.

If you’ll be working from your pathway, it would be a good idea to add an additional 1-1.5 feet.

You’ll have a few additional considerations when considering the depth of your mulch. You should be aiming for a depth that inhibits weed and grass growth in order to make your pathway as maintenance free as possible.

A good depth to aim for is between 2 and 4 inches. If you’re willing to use a little more mulch, 4-6 will do a better job at keeping weeds suppressed more completely.

How Do You Keep Mulch Inside Your Pathway?

Unless you’re going for a very rustic look, it will be a good idea to do a little prework in order to keep your mulch within your pathway.

This process should start before you begin applying the mulch. If there is existing grass where you’re planning your pathway, a good place to start is with your lawn mower. You can set the blade lower than you typically would in order to start carving out your pathway.

Under normal circumstances, setting your blade too low could harm your grass. It’s okay in this setting as the aim is to inhibit growth.

The next step would be to create a physical barrier such bricks, pavers, stones, or landscape edging which is typically made specifically for this purpose.

You could also create a natural edge by digging however these edges aren’t as reliable at containing your mulch.

It is sometimes recommended to use landscape fabric at this point but I’ve never been a fan. If you’re mulching to the proper depth, the fabric will provide little benefit.

Are You Ready To Make a Mulch Pathway of Your Own?

The project is relatively easy with a price point to meet any budget.

What gardener or homeowner wouldn’t want a practical, low-maintenance, weed reducing pathway?

A small investment of time will surely benefit your garden space for years to come if you choose to follow the above guide to a mulched garden pathway.

If you’re ready to find out more ways to put mulch to work in your garden, Discover 11 Handy Uses For Mulch in The Garden next.

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Published by Luke H. on March 21, 2024

Edited by Luke H. on April 4, 2024