Anyone own a mulcher?

[Miss Mary]

I'm accumulating lots of twigs, branches I've trimmed off trees, etc. in our woods. One neighbor owns a mulcher and keeps his debris cleared out by routinely mulching it all up. I realize the mulch you get isn't like bagged mulch, so that said, I'm starting to think owning one wouldn't be a bad idea. I could use this mulch where our dog's territory is (since she's a digger and in the backyard). The front areas would get the nicer, store bought mulch.

Waste of time? A good idea?

Thanks Storm2K Gardeners.

[Southernmost Weather]

Well, a mulcher will certainly "recycle" your cuttings very well. We have one and it put it to a lot of use at my workplace. Your decision to purchase one should be based on how much of an area you'll be covering with mulch. I would consider using the mulch in both yards--why spend the money for the equipment for a limited purpose?

[Miss Mary]

I'm just considering one to get rid of trimmings that are getting mighty high in the woods. I prefer to use the dark mulch most of my neighbors use in the front areas. That's why I thought I use my own in the back yard - where the dog roams. I heard the mulch you end up with from a mulcher isn't fine - it's more chunky, if you get my meaning. Perfect for where my dog likes to dig.

[breeze]

LoL, I'm lazy, Miss Mary....I buy mulch from Lowe's!

[Miss Mary]

Annette - lazy here too. For 14 years now. LOL Ya want lazy? We get the entire ready for mulch...wait a minute I should say *I* get the yard ready.....and then Jim borrows the pickup truck from work (he's self-employed so that's easy). He picks up about 3 loads for our entire yard. Each time it's under $20. So for less than $60 I can mulch the entire thing. But the best part is he drives it around. He gets in the back with the pitchfork and I smooth it out in the beds. We can mulch this way in a few hours. We do look the sight though - I joke we're the Beverly Hillbillies when we mulch!

[breeze]

LoL, that's the best way to do it, Miss Mary! You sleep
better, at night, and, you don't have to pay a landscaper to do
it for you!

[Miss Mary]

Annette - have you ever asked what people pay to have a landscaper weed, edge, trim, plant, mulch? Yikes, I heard in the thousands.......I have two neighbors that have hired companies thru the years. And I do not live in an affluent area, by any means. The next door ones won't even pull a weed! But that's another subject. The other is a widow and works long hours, she IMO deserves it.

What I would like to do though is get my entire yard ready for mulch, have a load dumped and then just hire a couple of teens to put it down. Here ya go, here's a couple of shovels, wheelbarrows, etc. And pizza, soda when you're done. And pay them of course too. But do you know how hard it is to find kids that want to work like this? Impossible actually. 4 years ago I couldn't do any yardword, recovering from surgery, hubby's not into it all much. I nagged and nagged, he eventually got the truck. He and the kids did it that year.

Well, I'm a rambling.....LOL

[deb_in_nc]

I have to tell you, I buy mine too. I also have to be the one to put it down. Tried letting hubby help but not again. He spreads it so thin that if you pick up one piece there's the dirt. What's wrong with men anyway. You can bet if they were paying someone to do it they would be right out there with a ruler measuring the depth.

Debbie