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How Landscape Mulch Promotes a Healthy Garden
PINE BROOK LANDSCAPING STAFF • June 25, 2020
Benefits to Using Mulch In Your Backyard Retreat
Garden Mulch is far more than just a decoration. Whether you’re planting hydrangeas, ferns, roses or trees, the types of plants you choose are only one of the important aspects of your garden’s appearance. If you have a garden or plan to start one, you are likely wondering what you can do to improve the quality and health of your plantings. Mulch can be one of the most important things you can do to have a healthy landscape.
Landscape mulching services
provide many benefits to gardens, so if you’re just a novice gardener, it’s worth knowing the basics of this landscape material. Here are a few reasons why you should utilize mulch in your garden:
- Mulch Combats Weeds – The inability to control and combat a weed problem will destroy your garden’s progress and spoil your results. Mulch acts as a barrier, especially if you use landscape cloth underneath. It limits the amount of sun that weeds are receiving and smothers those that are already sprouted, keeping many from growing freely above ground.
- Mulch is Good for Your Soil - Once the mulch begins to break down, the nutrients of the mulch are slowly added into the soil, creating a better environment for your plants to grow. And mulch can keep the soil cooler in the heat and warmer in the winter which leads to more balanced soil, in turn making it more fertile. Using high-quality mulch is an excellent way to reduce soil erosion to achieve and maintain the perfect soil texture for your needs.
- Mulch Conserves Water - Getting a bright and vibrant garden that you can be proud requires you to provide an adequate supply of water. While not having enough water can cause your garden to wilt, too much water will also cause trouble. The good news is that mulch can help maintain enough water to keep your plants happy and healthy. If you pay for your water, the right gardening mulch will even help you reduce your water bill.
- Mulch Enhances Visual Appeal - Keeping the flowers and other plantings healthy and thriving will help, but that’s just a part of the overall picture. Spreading mulch in your landscape beds can drastically transformation the look of your home for the better. Adding a layer of gardening mulch to the soil in and around the garden will also reduce the need for constant maintenance, allowing you more time to enjoy your pleasantly landscaped property.
Which Type of Mulch Is Right for Your Landscape?
Now it’s time to choose some mulch for your landscaping. Any material that covers and protects the soil can be called mulch. So which kind do you choose? It’s not as simple a purchase as it appears, as each type of mulch has its own advantages and disadvantages. There is a wide range of mulch types from each category available to homeowners, depending on the appearance and function you’d like for your yard. With a little knowledge, you can pick the right mulch for the job at hand:
- Organic Wood Mulches
(ground bark, wood chips, nuggets):
The advantage of using wood mulch is that it is organic material that will evenly soak up water, keep your landscape plants cooler, and keep the soil moist. Wood mulch will decompose over time, which will nourish the soil around your plants. Some versions are dyed red, brown or black. The advantage of the dye is that it holds its color for an additional year, reducing the need of frequent replacement.
Wood mulches can vary widely. Use aged organic mulch (partially decomposed wood products) to improve the soil and encourage all-around plant growth. Use fresh organic mulch (wood chips and bark) where you want to control weeds and improve appearance, but where soil improvement isn’t needed. - Landscape Pebbles / Gravel / River Rock: Pebbles can also be quite attractive, and their heaviness makes them a more permanent choice for your landscape. Decorative stone will stabilize garden areas vulnerable to washout such as on hills and around downspouts. Because rocks and stones absorb and reflect heat, they have the advantage of warming the soil for early spring planting of fruits and vegetables but can be detrimental to plants during periods of hot, dry weather. Using landscape fabric is suggested to keep weeds from peeking through the rocks.
- Shredded Rubber Mulch: Rubber mulch, usually made from recycled tires or rubber mats, can be a surprisingly attractive and highly durable option that will last for many years. It provides money and time-saving perks since it rarely needs to be replaced once it’s set. Rubber mulch does work well to divert water to the ground underneath and also acts as a weed barrier and reduces fungal growth. However, it can really heat up in the summertime.
When Should You Mulch? It’s Not Too Late!
Many are unsure of the best time to apply mulch. The correct answer is - whenever you are ready!
Spring and Fall are usually recommended but Summer is not necessarily a bad time to mulch. Mulching in the summer can keep plants and landscapes cool during the hot weather months, retaining any moisture that may be in the ground. The numerous varieties of mulch available from our backyard mulch suppliers make it possible to find the right type for your individual needs.
Landscape Mulching Services
do much more than simply create a great scent and a fresh, clean look for your garden. It can also be a nourishing, protecting product to make your garden produce healthier plants. It is also hard to argue with the impact mulch can have on the attractiveness of your landscape. It makes your planting area look bright and neat – and your house look like a home.
Free up your time and let our experts determine how much mulch you need for the area you plan to cover. If you need to rejuvenate the look of your planting beds and shrubs, contact the professionals at PINE BROOK LANDSCAPING
for expert property maintenance services. We have proudly been serving Philadelphia, Bucks & Montgomery Counties since 1988 and are a full-service general landscaping, hardscaping, lawn care
and general landscape maintenance
company for all of your outdoor home improvements!
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