Why Mulch?

• Mulch holds moisture that plants need to grow and stay healthy. Moisture right mulch nourishes plants.
• Mulch helps prevent weeds from growing. Weeds require sunlight to grow. A layer of a few inches of mulch stops sunlight from reaching weeds and greatly reduces the need for weeding.
• Improves soil quality. Mulch breaks down adding nutrients to the soil.
• Insulation from frost. Frost can freeze and snap roots killing off plants and trees in your landscape.
• Decorative touch to your home.
• Fragrance. Smells great. Nice if you entertain outdoors.
• Mulch costs up to 5 time less than stone. Stone sucks moisture from your landscape.

 

Maintenance

• Periodically through the year mulch beds should be raked to prevent excess compaction.
• Compacted mulch keeps air, water and nutrients from reaching plant roots.

 

Spreading

• For beds adjacent to homes leave a strip of 6 inches between the mulch and foundation.
• A ring of mulch around trees creates an area where grass doesn't grow which makes cutting the grass easier. Extend 3 to 6 feet depending on the spread of branches.
• Leave a ring of 1 inch around the tree. It can lead to disease and tree decline.

 

When to Mulch

• Anytime
• Put it in place early enough that it blocks weeds form growing but wait until the soil has warmed and some of the moisture left from winter snow has dried.