I have 3 flower beds in the back yard (minimal plants). Every year it's a battle to kill weeds, rake up old bark mulch and put down new. Tired of it. Has anybody tried crushed granite instead of mulch? A lot of pavement medians use that and it seems to work and looks good with plants and cactus.

yep, that's why I pay someone to do it for me now...gave up that fight a while back, I just don't time for it.

Some things in life just require a little hard work
And elbow grease. You can either do it yourself or pay for someone else's. Your choice.

I'd drop a heavy weed barrier....not cheap **** from Home Depot....and I fill it with pea gravel or granite as you said.

Eventually that will become a growing media and you can do it again later. Lol.

Ok. Roundup and flame thrower it is!

I put down cheap weed barrier from HD with mulch on top. Every year, I add a thin layer of mulch without removing the old mulch, mostly for aesthetics. With the exception of one ******* live oak that pushes roots up through one of the beds, I haven't had any weeds pushing up. Beds are about 6 years old now.

I never have weeds in our rocked area, however, I can not get the damn grass from growing in it.

Our landscape installer put down super heavy duty weed barrier. 7 years later and it's still there and does not let many weeds through.

thick mulch. i have about 3 inches down & only replace it about every 3 years. rarely have any weeds or grass popping up.

babyshark said:

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thick mulch. i have about 3 inches down & only replace it about every 3 years. rarely have any weeds or grass popping up.

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This is the correct answer. Amazing that most people think a half inch of mulch is enough. Do it right and weeds aren't a problem.