I ran a quick hose-splash trial in a client bed last May using Vaseline-coated index cards at 30 cm and 60 cm, and pine bark nuggets consistently trapped droplets and reduced splash to boxwood compared with river rock and bare soil. Anyone else use mulch type as a disease-prevention tactic, and what have you observed during wet weeks?
I’ve seen the same — “pine bark nuggets” beat rock here — but switching to shredded pine at a firm 3–4 inches and topping it up yearly was the biggest splash-killer, a raincoat for soil; just keep it a hand’s width off the stems. Have you compared nuggets vs shredded during “wet weeks”?
Quick test here last May: a 1-inch leaf-mold layer under the pine bark nuggets cut splash so the 60 cm cards stayed mostly clean, while bare soil speckled both. Building on @lindaF_58, I like a “soft underlayer + nuggets” setup, but nuggets can float in big storms — — so a small edging lip or jute netting helps keep them put. Are your beds sloped or flat?
Interesting approach with the index cards! I’ve had luck using a heavier layer of mulch — about 4 inches of shredded cedar keeps everything really moist without much splash. Just keep an eye on the rain runoff; I’ve noticed sloped beds can create some unexpected patterns. Have you tried different depths or types of mulch for comparison?