10 Must Know and How To’s of Mulch

1. 10 Must Know and How To’s of Mulch 1. Make sure not to use mulch made from “forest products” such as construction debris, moldy timber, old flooring, handrails, staircases, subfloors, pressure-treated wood, and more. Your wood mulch should be made from natural pine, hemlock, cedar, or a similar tree species. 2. Mulch is great for weed control. By limiting sunlight to any weed seeds in the soil, a good layer of mulch will help prevent their germination and spread. 3. Mulch regulates soil temperatures and moistures: Mulch moderates the soil wetting and drying cycle between irrigations and balances soil temperatures around roots, enhancing plant growth. Mulch also reduces compaction and erosion from irrigation, rainfall, and foot traffic. 4. Organic mulch and organic soil can be composed of a variety of materials, such as compost, leaves, grass clippings, tree bark, hay, wood chips, sawdust, straw, pine needles, cardboard, and newspaper (not the glossy pages). 5. Pine Straw mulch is perfect for plants such as azaleas, gardenias, camellias, blueberries, hydrangeas, and evergreen shrub beds. It is easy to collect beneath pine trees, as it is light, easy to work with, lasts longer than many other types of mulch, and does well holding in soil moisture. 6. Cedar mulch is coarsely shredded wood, which is stingy and lasts longer than hardwood mulch. Twice-ground cedar mulch is finely ground and will compost faster. 7. Before installing new mulch to your garden, playground, or community area, make sure to remove any accumulated old remains, trash, and garbage. The health of the soil underneath will be protected better as a result. 8. Make sure you replenish your mulch every year or so as it will break down over time. 9. Mulch may clump up if the season is particularly wet. “Fluff” your mulch by stirring it with a rake or alternative garden tool to eliminate lumps and enhance its overall aesthetic. 10. When planning for mulch installation never use more than three inches of bedding. Installing a thick layer of mulch will suffocate plants and trees and cause them to die. Also Using too much mulch can attract termites and other pests and insects to the yard.