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Weeds Under Pines: Mulch, Not Plastic or Fabric

A Twin Cities homeowner had weeds and tree seedlings under 6 pines. Nursery recommended landscape fabric and river rock; books conflicted. They wanted low-maintenance mulch solution.

The expert stood by organic mulch (pine straw) up to 3 inches, no plastic or fabric (blocks water, compacts soil). Weeds in mulch: spot-spray Roundup (glyphosate) on green growth—safe on tree trunks. Mowing also works. Rocks compress soil and harm roots.

Best Practice

Mulch: pine straw or wood chips, 3 inches max.
No plastic, no fabric.
Spot-spray Roundup on weeds.
Mow regularly if preferred.

Conifers: Creosote Mulch: Plant vs. Coal Tar - Critical Distinction; What Is Mulch? (And Why It's Not Just Manure); Owls Roosting in Trees: Mess on Vehicles and Sidewalks; Best Mulch for Vegetable Gardens on Clay; Reclaiming a Rough 3-Acre Former Soybean Field; Non-Organic Mulch Alternatives for Foundation Planting Beds; Winterizing Mini Bog Garden in Zone 6: Mulch Tub Method; Low-Weed Gourd Growing: Plastic Mulch Trick; Plastic Mulch in Agriculture: Boosting Yields, Conserving Water & Managing Weeds; Why Black Plastic Sheeting Harms Plants and How to Replace It with Proper Mulch

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