Totally with you on cedar mulch holding up better in storms, though I've found pine bark isn't always that bad if you layer it thick enough. Still, cedar's way less hassle overall...and fewer mosquitoes is a massive bonus. Might try your groundcover tip next spring, sounds promising.
"Still, cedar's way less hassle overall...and fewer mosquitoes is a massive bonus."
Seriously, fewer mosquitoes alone makes cedar worth it. Last summer I tried pine bark (layered super thick too), and still ended up swatting bugs like crazy. Lesson learned—cedar mulch all the way next time.
Lesson learned—cedar mulch all the way next time.
Haha, been there with the pine bark...felt like I was running a mosquito buffet. Cedar's definitely the way to go—your outdoor space (and your sanity) will thank you later.
I hear you on the cedar mulch, but honestly, I’ve had mixed results. A couple years ago, I went all-in on cedar thinking it would solve my mosquito nightmare. And yeah, it definitely helped a bit—at least initially. The scent seemed to keep the bugs at bay for the first few weeks, but after a month or two, it faded quite a lot. Not sure if it was just the batch I bought or if that's normal. Either way, after that point, mosquitoes started coming back with a vengeance.
Funny enough, my best luck has been with a combination approach: cedar mulch around the seating area (for scent and aesthetics), plus citronella torches and those mosquito dunks in any standing water spots. It’s not perfect, but it makes the evenings outside bearable again.
And speaking of mulch choices—another thing I learned the hard way was to avoid dyed mulches altogether. I tried some red-dyed stuff once because it looked sharp against my brickwork (my house is an old Victorian with original brick pathways). Looked great at first... until the dye faded unevenly, leaving everything looking patchy and weirdly artificial. Plus, who knows what’s in that dye—I started worrying about runoff into my flower beds and veggie garden.
These days, I'm sticking with natural cedar mulch for the aesthetic appeal and mild insect-repelling properties, but supplementing with other mosquito control methods. It's not a silver bullet by itself, but it definitely beats the pine bark buffet you've described—been there too many times myself.
Totally agree on the dyed mulch—tried the black stuff once thinking it'd look sleek and modern around my patio. Big mistake. After a few rains, it looked like someone spilled charcoal dust everywhere. Lesson learned.
As for mosquitoes, I've found cedar mulch alone isn't enough either. Here's what's worked best for me:
- Cedar mulch for looks and mild bug deterrent.
- Mosquito dunks in gutters and bird baths (standing water is enemy #1).
- A couple of those Thermacell lanterns scattered around seating areas—these things are legit.
- Fans. Seriously, mosquitoes suck at flying in even a gentle breeze.
Not saying my backyard is mosquito-free paradise now, but at least I can grill without donating blood every evening.
