Why Should You Invest In Yard Mulch?

Applying mulch imparts significant benefits to your yard ranging from cosmetic improvements to soil and plant health. We feel this is an important addition to your yard that should not be overlooked. 

What is Mulch?

Mulch is material applied to your soil to improve and protect it. Mulch ranges from organic to inorganic materials that can be applied to either exposed soil or highly trafficked areas.

Organic versus inorganic mulch

Mulch can be either organic or inorganic. Organic mulching material has the benefit of enriching the soil as it breaks down. Initial costs are less than inorganic material. It does however require replacement over time. Examples of organic materials are wood chips/shredded bark, pine needles, hardwood mulch, straw, leaf, and grass clippings. Inorganic material is lower maintenance and will not decompose. It may be more expensive to install initially. Examples include gravel, river rock, plastic, fabric, and rubber mulch.

What are benefits of mulch?

Weed Control: suppresses and inhibits weed growth by limiting sunlight reaching the surface.

Water Conservation: helps soil retain water and decrease loss to evaporation which can decrease the need for frequent watering and keeps plants’ roots moist. 

Soil Health: organic mulch in particular acts like a slow-release fertilizer and adds to soil fertility. This also keeps our soil dwelling friends like worms and other organisms happy and healthy. Mulch also keeps soil buffered from extreme temperatures both in the summer and winter. 

Erosion: a well applied layer of mulch can help decrease soil erosion both from water/rain and wind.

Appearance: a freshly applied layer of mulch looks great and accents our landscape (not to mention that great smell!)

Soil Compaction: a well applied layer of mulch reduces compaction of soil from foot traffic and large amounts of rain

When to apply mulch?

We generally recommend application in early spring (March to May) once soil is thawing but before weeds emerge. This way you will get benefits on the weed control front and water retention as the temperature heats up. You can also consider application in the fall (September to November) if you have new plants to keep the roots safe from the frigid winter temperatures. 

If you are considering mulch application, let us know. We are happy to help!