Mulch is one of the most powerful tools landscape designers and gardeners have at their disposal. Mulch can prevent weeds and corrosion. It helps to keep the weeds down in your garden. It is a great option for preventing soil from drying out as well. For gardeners who are looking to use mulch to get he most out of their mulch, it pays to understand how it can be used most effectively. Here is a look at everything you need to know about using mulch in your gardening and landscaping efforts.
When to Apply Bulk Mulch
There are two main times of year that you will want to apply mulch to your garden. The first time of year that you should apply much to your garden is in the spring. However, you have to be careful about the part of spring that you apply your mulch. If you apply the mulch too early in the year, it will slow the germination of your plants by keeping the soil too cool. To prevent this, make sure to wait to apply your springtime mulch after the soil has warmed up.
It is also a good idea to apply mulch in the fall to keep the ground from freezing to hard and to keep the soil from blowing away in the fierce winter winds. Just as you must be patient with springtime mulch application, you must not put your mulch down too early during the fall as well. You must wait to apply your autumn mulch until the ground has frozen over. If you apply large amounts of mulch before the ground has frozen, it makes the thick mulch an attractive home for rodents to bed down for the winter. Avoid this mess of pests by waiting until the ground has frozen in the late fall. This will protect your garden soil from the harsh winter weather without allowing rodents to infest it.
Make Sure you Bulk Mulch at the Right Depth
The most important thing to keep in mind when applying mulch is the depth of mulch you need. Obviously, you will want a large amount of mulch on hand before you begin. The best way to go about this is to buy bulk mulch. When your laying down mulch, remember to leave three to six inches of room around your trees and shrubs. A good rule of thumb for depth of your mulch is to start by placing it even with the edge of the lawn that surrounds it. After you have laid down this layer around the border, it will show you how thick to lay it in your vegetable or flower garden bed. If you are using fine mulch like compost or shredded newspaper, then you want no greater than a three inch depth to avoid suffocating your plants. If you are using a thicker bulk mulch like bark or rock, then you can apply it at a greater depth of three to six inches for best results.