Recycled Tires Can Roll Away Yard Blemishes

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Extension agents entertain a lot of questions about lawns, and a frequent inquiry begins with the words "I have a place in my lawn ..."

You know the places. The muddy spots by the patio that dogs and children trudge through on their way inside, leaving your floors looking like kindergarten finger paintings. The pits that grow under down spouts, no matter how many times soil and grass seed are added. The slopes where rainfall sends mulch sliding into a big pile at the base. Every lawn has its challenging areas.

The company that created WeedBlock® Landscape Fabric recently found a few ways to tame the toughest spots in a lawn using recycled rubber tires.

One of those solutions is new Easy Gardener® Roll-Out Rubber Mulch. It looks like natural wood mulch, retains soil moisture and controls weeds like landscape fabric. Rolls sized 2' x 6' are made by adhering a layer of rubber mulch made from 100 percent recycled tires to WeedBlock® landscape fabric. The product is available in two colors -- brown and red.

The rubber mulch and fabric combination is ideal for hillsides and pool sides where natural mulch tends to wash away or stay wet and moldy. It eliminates pits and puddles when used under down spouts or over areas with frequent foot traffic. Each roll has a one-inch fabric overhang to provide seamless, weed-free connection of multiple rolls over extensive areas like pathways and play areas. Visit www.easygardener.com or call 800-327-9462 for more information.

There are a few more products that will make you think having old tires in your yard isn't such a bad idea. Easy Gardener's Tree Ring, Edge Border, Stepping Stones, Pavers and loose Rubber Mulch are all attractive and very easy to use.

The tree ring forms a weed barrier around trees and helps hold in moisture. The pre-cut tree rings look just like hardwood mulch, but lasts much longer. Easy Gardener's Edge Border can help give your garden a clean, mulched-looked edging. The new product creates a 4.5 inch weed barrier around landscape beds and gardens. You can lay the border flat or even use it to create curves. A really unique thing about this product is that if you run you mower tires along the top of the Edge Border, you eliminate the need for edging!

Stepping Stones and Pavers will put a spring in your step. They look like concrete, stone and brick, but their recycled rubber construction makes them 80 percent lighter and nearly unbreakable. They make a nice, dry pathway through those areas near the home that tend to get a little muddy.

The next time you're facing sloped and soggy challenges in your yard, skip the call to your local extension agent and give eco-friendly recycled rubber products a try.