Hey everyone! We recently moved into a townhome and discovered that our neighbor has this enormous tree with roots sprawling into our yard, which has made things tricky for us. Under our deck currently sits a huge red soil area that's become a mess, especially since we have three dogs that like to dig around. We originally thought about putting down some gravel but didn't want to dig because of the extensive root system. An arborist advised us against cutting or trimming the roots since it might harm the tree. He suggested we could level the ground by adding soil on top or even sand, then place landscaping cloth over it, as well as considering using cardboard underneath. I'm curious if this method would work effectively. Would this keep things looking clean and help prevent our carpet from getting dirty? Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
1 Answer
If you're worried about your dogs getting dirty, gravel might not be a long-term solution. It could get messy over time as it can trap dirt and mud. You could consider using wood chips instead; I’ve had great success with cedar chips in similar situations. They look nice and might be easier to manage with dogs running around. Plus, you’d probably find them less messy than gravel!
But isn't hardwood mulch going to get muddy too? I thought it would just break down and create more mess over time.