What the job covers
- Weeding the beds and clearing debris.
- Edging so the beds have a clean line.
- Spreading pine straw or mulch to the right depth, around trees, shrubs and along the beds.
Ask whether the old straw or mulch is taken out or topped up. Either can be right, depending on how much is left.
Pine straw or mulch?
Pine straw is the usual bed covering in Georgia. UGA's advice on the choice:
- On slopes, pine straw and shredded mulch are less likely to wash away in rain. Pine bark can float or wash off, which matters on lots near the lake.
- How long it lasts: pine straw breaks down faster than pine bark, so it needs topping up more often. UGA says to top up both at least once a year.
- Depth: UGA recommends 3 to 5 inches, spread out past the plant's branches. Fresh pine straw settles a lot after it is laid.
More in our guide, pine straw or mulch.
What changes the price
- How much bed there is. UGA puts one bale of pine straw at about 50 square feet, 5 inches deep, and one cubic yard of bark at about 100 square feet, 3 inches deep. A 500 square foot bed takes about 10 bales of straw.
- Straw or mulch, and which kind of mulch.
- Prep: weeding, edging and taking out old material.
- Slope and access, such as long carries from the drive.
The provider quotes after seeing the beds.
When to do it
Most people refresh their beds in spring, from March to May, and again in fall. Fall is also when new shrubs and perennials go in, so it is a good time to finish fresh beds.
