Important Mulching Do’s and Don’ts
Mulch is designed to suppress weeds, reduce water runoff, and conserve water. Mulch can protect your plants from the sun and drought — but mistakes when you mulch can actually smother and kill your plants. Here’s how you can use mulch to its greatest benefit.
DO: Have a plan to replenish the mulch
Organic mulch will decompose and break down over time. You should have a plan to replenish the mulch as needed. Mulch should be applied twice a year to account for natural decomposition. Mulch blowing services provided by a GetMulch.com installer can make the process of replenishing mulch easier, faster and more affordable.
DO: Remove old mulch every year
Mulch does break down, but it takes awhile. When you replenish the mulch in your garden beds, it’s a good idea to remove the old mulch from the surface first. Otherwise, the mulch will continue stealing nitrogen from the soil to decompose. This can contribute to nutrient starvation of your plants and rot.
DO: Try different mulches
There’s a huge array of mulches available today with many colors and textures. If you aren’t happy with your previous mulch or you just want to try something new, try exploring different textures and products like cocoa bean shells and shredded hardwood.
DON’T: Use too much or too little
Flower beds usually need 3 inches of mulch applied two times a year. When you use the right amount of mulch, it conserves moisture in the soil and fights off pesky weeds. This reduces how much water you need to apply to your landscaping. If you add too much mulch, your plants will be smothered and begin to rot.
DON’T: Skip over your trees
Trees on your property can also benefit from mulch, but it must be done correctly. Younger trees can benefit the most from mulching as they are more susceptible to drought. When mulching trees, create a ring of mulch around the base. The mulch should not touch the trunk. This practice, called volcano mulching, refers to mulch piled up around the base of the tree like a volcano. When mulch is piled at the trunk base, it causes fungus and decay at the trunk from too much moisture. It can also suffocate the roots and lead to insect damage.
DON’T: Use poor quality mulch
Not all mulch is created equal. Always do your research to make sure you are having mulch installed from a reliable mulch company. Unfortunately, some mulch companies supply poor quality mulch that can actually harm your plants. Bad mulch can introduce weed seeds or harmful chemicals from recycled products. Artificially colored and recycled mulch can also be very hard to break down. To decompose, the mulch can steal nitrogen from the soil, which causes poor plant growth.
Feel a bit overwhelmed about how to mulch correctly without overdoing it? Professional mulching service by a GetMulch.com installer can achieve the perfect level of coverage without suffocating your plants.