Mulching Basics

Mulch is an easy way to improve the look of your flower beds while providing many benefits to the plants within them. The list of benefits is long and for this reason many Home Owner Associations will go as far as requiring it for those reasons.

Mulching provides a host of benefits to your landscaping efforts. When used properly mulch has the following effects on plants and soil. Mulches can prevent water loss from the underneath soil by minimizing evaporation? Mulching can minimize the infestation of weeds into a weed free flower bed and when applied properly can prevent weed germination altogether. Mulches help your law and landscaping in the spring, fall, and summer by keeping the soil cooler and preventing overheating.

During cold winters, mulch insulates the soil to help keep it warmer minimizing frost damage to the plants. During summer, lawn maintenance mulches are more than a good idea as they protect the trunks of trees and shrubs from physical damage by lawn equipment. In almost any situation, mulching is a good idea.

The best time to mulch new plantings is right after you plant them. Around established plants mulch is best applied in early spring. This is when plants are beginning to grow and before summer weeds have a chance to germinate.

How often mulch needs to be replenished depends on the mulching material itself. Grass clippings and leaves decompose very fast and need to be replenished frequently. Inorganic mulches such as gravel and pebbles do not need replacement and the plants will fill in the bed area on their own; less and less mulch is required.

The amount of mulch to apply depends on the texture and density of the mulch material. Many wood mulches and bark mulches are made of finer particles and should not exceed three inches in depth. Too much fine textured mulches will suffocate plant roots by blocking air flow; resulting in yellowing of the leaves and poor growth.

Coarse textured mulches like pine bark nuggets allow great air flow through them and because of this can be laid up to 4 inches deep. Mulches made from shredded leaves and grasses are never recommended to be more than 2 inches thick because they can prevent water and air supply to plant roots.

Although mulching is a practice associated in most amateur gardeners and landscapers as an activity associated with the fall and leaves, mulching is a wise practice for your yard, property, and garden and trees. It's also a great way to boost the curb appeal of your home.