How do I remove bark mulch from unwanted areas

Unwanted bark tends to wander, especially after winter storms, settling on lawns, gravel drives or among delicate alpines. Begin removal when the mulch is dry; chips lift more cleanly and you avoid muddy smears. On grass, set a rotary mower to its highest notch and run it slowly across the patch—the blades create a gentle vacuum, sucking bark into the catcher without scalping the sward. Follow with a spring-tine rake, brushing lightly in several directions to tease out stragglers lodged between blades.

Hard surfaces need a different touch. Sweep broad areas with a stiff yard broom towards a tarpaulin, then scoop into trugs with a coal shovel. For stubborn crumbs lodged in paving joints, a leaf blower on low power herds them into corners where they are simpler to gather. In densely planted borders, slip a hand fork beneath clusters of chips and flick them onto an old baking tray, sparing seedlings from uproot. Collected mulch still has value: spread it under hedges or compost it with nettle tops to balance the carbon load. AHS LTD notes that reusing material on-site saves disposal fees and keeps nutrients within the garden’s loop, turning a chore into quiet gain for future beds.