Bulk Mulch - Best Practice?

[ryun]

I've hauled mulch before in my lightning from the local mulch yard, but it gets in just about every crevice. Not a huge deal (it's a truck after all), but I'm looking to optimize.

I purchased a big, ol' tarp to help contain the mess based on recommendations, but I'm having trouble figuring the best way to tarp the bed without it flying all over the place before I get to the yard.

What's the best practice here? Best I could come up with is to buy a bag or two of mulch at the hardware store to weigh it down. I don't think the folks at the yard will appreciate me fumbling the tarp in position when I arrive...

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[MidAtlanticLightningClub]

1. Buy a tarp much larger than the bed, so it won't get yanked down inside the bed when the drop the mulch in
2. Drive to the mulch yard
3. Unfold the tarp across the entire bed
4. Climb into the bed with something like a yardstick
5. Drape the tarp well down the sides of the bed and the tailgate
6. Use the yardstick to push the the front into the crevice between the bed and the cab
7. After they dump in the mulch, drive out of the way, fold the tarp ends over the mulch and tie down the tarp (you'll need this to keep the tarp from flapping and to keep the mulch from blowing out)

 

[ryun]

Ah so this is common then? I figured watching some homeowner fumble around with a tarp in the bed of their truck was gonna cause somebody to fume.

Though now that I think of it, there's plenty of space to pull over and do this at some of the larger yards. The one I usually go to (next to the hardware store) is like a drive-thru. There's basically no where to pull over once you're in the queue.

I did get an oversized tarp at least. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Grumpy2]

I just jamb the big tarp into the backseat, then stop at the entrance to the bark yard and spread it out over the bed. Works great, except when there is significant wind ...

If people are waiting, I just assume they will appreciate the chance to see how my system works so well ....

 

[reddog21]

The older I get, the more I wonder why I ever loaded mulch into my truck when having it delivered is worth every penny.

 

[RickLightning]

When we get mulch, it's 30 yards, so...

We just switched to stone last year, never doing mulch again. My wife and I shoveled and spread it all ourselves.

 

[ryun]

We moved into a home that went the river rock route but it was installed poorly and looked terrible after time had its way. My wife and I ended up removing all of it by hand. It was awful.

I used to get it delivered but then I've got a hill of mulch taking up driveway space and the truck is the best wheel barrow I've ever had. By far the best mulching we've done is when we've paid someone else to do it but that's a little too pricey for us to do annually.

 

[zakress]

Fold tarp up in bed.
Use flat-nose shovel to weigh folded tarp down.
Drive to mulch yard.
When arriving at the yard, unfold tarp and use shovel to tuck into corners.
Purchase mulch.
Receive mulch.
Use shovel to spread mulch and tamp down.
Drive home/destination.
Start spreading.
Remove tarp and use leaf blower on any cracks & crevices.

 

[Lytning]

The older I get, the more I wonder why I ever loaded mulch into my truck when having it delivered is worth every penny.

And I hire someone to spread it, too!

 

[Aminorjourney]

If you regularly haul soil, mulch or whatever, a BedRug is a good bet.

I use a tarp in the bed on top of my bed rug, and it’s easy to clean out after.

I also use a trailer with a second tarp to prevent what I’m hauling blowing everywhere.

 

[Rayden]

I just jamb the big tarp into the backseat, then stop at the entrance to the bark yard and spread it out over the bed. Works great, except when there is significant wind ...

If people are waiting, I just assume they will appreciate the chance to see how my system works so well ....

Your avatar answers this question!

 

[Rayden]

When we get mulch, it's 30 yards, so...

We just switched to stone last year, never doing mulch again. My wife and I shoveled and spread it all ourselves.

We do pine straw which is significantly lighter and easier to spread. Also doesn't attract termites, which having had them before, I don't want again. We've talked about stone, but wonder how it looks with leaves getting in there after a while?

 

[RickLightning]

We do pine straw which is significantly lighter and easier to spread. Also doesn't attract termites, which having had them before, I don't want again. We've talked about stone, but wonder how it looks with leaves getting in there after a while?

We don't get many leaves near the house. Doing 30 yards of mulch every 3 years was getting too hard on my body, plus expensive.

 

[Flipper]

buy bagged mulch...usually better quality mulch anyway and easier to put out.

 

[RickLightning]

buy bagged mulch...usually better quality mulch anyway and easier to put out.

I can't speak for your market, but I can for ours. Bagged mulch is often of poor quality. Dyed mulch in bags fades fast, and often contains junk. Bags have also decreased in size in recent years, now down to 1.5 cu ft per bag, was 2 ft. And, even on sale, it's expensive. Home Depot currently has it for $2 per bag, which works out to $1.33 per cu ft. So, a cubic yard is $1.33 x 27 = $35.91. I can buy a load of dyed mulch locally for under that price. It contains only trees, no pallets. It also has a longer lasting dye. And, if I buy 30 yards, that would be 540 bags of mulch, and 540 plastic bags... Not great for the environment either.

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