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How much mulch will you need for your landscape beds?

The simple answer is:

To calculate the volume of mulch you’ll need, multiply the square footage of the area to be covered (SF) by the depth of the mulch (DM). Than multiply the result by 0.0031 to determine the number of cubic yards you’ll need.

The equation looks like this: SF x DM x 0.0031 = Cubic Yards.

However, there are some things you should know about mulch before you try to determine how much mulch you will need.

First of all, mulch has many uses other than cosmetics. Mulch is very nice to look at and mulch will hide some unsightly areas in your landscape beds. However, mulch does much more than that. Mulch has many roles, one of which is it keeps moisture in conserving water for your plants. Another is that mulch helps minimize weeds. Most weeds need sunlight to grow so you have to make sure the mulch is covering every area and that the mulch is thick enough to block sunlight. The other is that mulch keeps your plants warm in the winter months. Believe it or not, Mulch Works as insulation for your plants and flowers. So why am I telling you all this when all you are trying to do is figure out how much mulch you need? Well thickness of mulch is a key factor. The thicker you mulch your beds the better off you are.

So, how thick should you spread your mulch? We recommend 3′ to 4′ of mulch should be applied to all areas of your landscape beds. If you are spreading mulch around trees, pleas keep in mind that you do not want mulch to cover the base of newly planted trees.

Getting back to the original question: How do you determine how much mulch you need for your landscape beds?

STEP 1: Measure the square footage of your garden or landscape beds you wish to mulch:

If the garden bed is square or rectangular that you are looking to mulch, you should measure the length and width with a tape measure. To find the square footage of the garden bed you are looking to mulch, simply multiply the length by the width. For example, if your garden bed measures 15 by 10 feet, multiply 15 by 10, which is 150. So area in square feet is 150.

If you have a circular bed you are looking to mulch, you should measure the radius. The radius is the distance from one edge of the bed to the center of the circle. Multiply the radius by itself, then multiply the result by 3.14 (pi) to get the area of the circle. For example, if the radius of the circle is 5 feet, multiply 5 by 5 to get 25, then multiply 25 by 3.14. You get 78.5 feet. That is the area inside the circle, in square feet. When measuring for mulch in a triangular bed, it gets a little tricky. To find the area of a triangle, multiply the base by the height, and then divide by 2. (If the base is 5 feet and the height is 3 feet, that would be 5 x 3 = 15, then divide by 2: 7.5.

Mulch looks great on beds that have curvy or different shapes. To do this simply curve a rope or similar object along the border, you can use a hose or something like it for this as well. Then, straighten out the hose into a rectangle and do the math from there.

After you measure all the beds you wish to mulch, add up the square footage of each bed to get the total square footage you will need to cover with mulch.

STEP 2: You will need to do a little educated questing for this step. You will want to guess the percentage of the total bed you are looking to mulch that is taken up or occupied by plants. A simple way to do this is to use 10% for lightly occupied gardens, 15% for moderate and 20% for heavily occupied garden beds. The reason for this is you will not need to mulch these areas. If you did mulch the entire bed than mulch would just sit on top of your plants. So subtract the percentage by your total square footage.

STEP 3: Now you know the square feet of your landscape bed or garden space you wish to mulch. You can now calculate how much mulch to buy.

Keep in mind that the thickness of mulch is a important part of mulching your beds. We recommend 3′ to 4′ of mulch for the reasons above. I will use 4′ of mulch for my math below.

To calculate the volume of mulch you’ll need, multiply the square footage of the area to be covered (SF) by the depth of the mulch (DM). Multiply the result by 0.0031 to determine the number of cubic yards you’ll need. The equation looks like this: SF x DM x 0.0031 = Cubic Yards.

So if the total square footage was 400(SF) and your depth was (4′) than it would look like this: 400 x 4 x.0031=4.96yards. Always round up so I would need 5 yards of mulch.

If you still do not feel comfortable doing the math to determine how mulch you will need, you can use the mulch calculator on www.1800mulchpro.com. They do all the math for you, all you need to do is punch in the numbers.

Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area. 1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO or visit us online at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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How To Prepare Your Landscape Beds Before You Apply Mulch

Many home owners use mulch because of the way mulch makes the landscape look. For this reason the preparation before you apply mulch is just as important as applying mulch or choosing what type of mulch to use or for that matter, the color of mulch that is most appropriate for your landscape.

If you do the proper preparation before applying your mulch your beds will look great for years to come. It will also help reduce the future maintenance for your mulched beds. By doing the proper prep work before you mulch you will save yourself a lot of work in the future.

First of all, it is imperative to remove all weeds and grass from the area you are mulching or applying the mulch. Be sure that you are pulling the weeds and grass from the roots to ensure they will not grow back. The reason for this is so that the grass and weeds do not grow through the mulch. What happens is that mulch keeps moisture in, allowing the weeds to grow. If there is sunlight shining through the mulch it will assist the grass in growing faster and larger.

The last thing you want is to have weeds growing through your mulch after you spent all this time mulching your beds. In addition, it is much easier to pull weeds before you mulch. With the mulch down on your beds it is very difficult to get to the root of the grass or weed popping through the mulch.

After effectively weeding the area you are going to apply mulch, I strongly recommend putting down landscape fabric. This works as a shield between the ground and your mulch. This will help prevent weeds and grass from growing through your mulch. If you have plants or flowers you wish to plant over this area just cut an appropriate hole in the landscape fabric for the bulb of the plant. After you have the weeds pulled and landscape fabric down, you are now ready to mulch!

As you can see, preparing your landscape beds for mulch isn’t as easy as it appears. If you want it done right and to ensure your mulch job looks great, it takes a lot of time and preparation. Some home owners short cut the prep work and don’t even weed there beds. What happens is it looks great for about a month or so but then weeds and grass start popping through. At that point your mulch no longer looks nice and it is way more time consuming and challenging to eliminate unwanted grass and weeds through the mulch.

If you want your landscape beds to look great but don’t have the time to make sure it is done right, there is a solution! You could call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area.

1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO or visit us online at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

Visit www.1800mulchpro.com for more articles and resources on landscape supplies and mulch. Don’t forget to use the mulch calculator to determine how much mulch you will need for your next landscape job.

The Different Uses And Types Of Mulch

Most landscape beds are covered with some sort of mulch. Some people consider decorative gravels as mulch, landscape mulch is defined as an organic material that is used as a ground cover. There are a many Different Mulches to choose from.

Mulches are used in landscape beds for a myriad of different reasons. First, mulch enhances the aesthetic look of a landscape. In addition a thick layer of mulch helps hold moisture in the soil. This water holding capacity is especially important during droughts and when trees and shrubs are first planted.

Mulch keeps plant roots cool during the hot part of the summer and warm during the coldest parts of the winter. In addition, mulch around a tree or shrub seems to be a visible barrier to your trees and shrubs.

One of the most important reasons to use mulch is to control weeds that seem to continually come up in your landscape beds. Mulch also controls erosion that could develop if the soils between shrubs would remain bare.

Of all the different kinds of mulch available, hardwood bark mulch seems to be the most popular, undoubtedly due to is low cost. It is the least expensive mulch found in the Heartland. Every sawmill in the Heartland produces hardwood bark mulch as a bi-product of the milling operation. Because it is so plentiful and local, hardwood bark mulch seems to be the mulch of choice.

There are some drawbacks to hardwood bark mulch. Pest control companies say that this mulch attracts termites. I doubt that it attracts termites, but there is no natural termite repellent in hardwood bark mulch. If termites are in the area, they will certainly like the addition to their home range.

Bark mulch tends to deteriorate rapidly, and often forms an impervious layer on the surface of the mulch bed. This impervious layer often contributes to the demise of azaleas and rhododendrons.

One of the problems with hardwood bark mulch is that sometimes fungi can grow on the mulch in warm wet weather. This disgusting looking fungus looks like an animal vomited in your landscape. In order to reduce this problem, occasionally stir the mulch to allow air to get into it. This should reduce the fungus problem.

Cedar and Cypress Mulches are also available in the Heartland. Both of these woods have natural insect repellents present. In addition these mulches do not breakdown as rapidly as hardwood bark mulch.

Some gardeners like to use pine bark mulch, pine mini nuggets, or pine nuggets. The mulch is similar in appearance of hardwood bark mulch, but it does not form an impervious layer, as does hardwood bark mulch. The nuggets and mini nuggets are just larger particles of bark, great for use around azaleas and rhododendrons. Unfortunately the nuggets and mini nuggets blow in the wind and can be moved easily during a heavy rainstorm.

Some people like cocoa mulch. This mulch is derived from the husks of cocoa beans. Its small particle size gives your landscape mulch a more formal look. It usually stays where you placed it no matter what the weather. Its only drawback seems to be cost. Also, if you have dogs, check with your veterinarian to make sure this is safe for your pets. I am not sure if there is any validity to it but there has been some reports of the cocoa mulch having negative affects on dogs.

I have just mentioned a few mulches that you can find out there. In addition to the ones mentioned you can use gravels, colored mulch which is ground up used pallets and dyed, rubber mulch which is ground up used tires, leaves, grass clippings, sawdust, and wood chips.

Let me caution you about using mulch with a high content of wood or unrecompensed leaf matter. The fungi that decompose wood and leaf matter require a lot of nitrogen to do their thing. This nitrogen is absorbed from the soil below the mulch. The depletion of soil nitrogen can be extremely detrimental to shrubs and trees growing in the raw mulch.

When you mulch use about a three to four inch layer. Make sure you keep the mulch an inch or two away from the stem of trees and shrubs. If you put the mulch up on the stem, the stem will slow rot due to all of the excess moisture, and your trees and shrubs will slowly die.

Mulch is not always a cure all. Its presence can cause problems. If your area is naturally wet, layers of mulch will inhibit soil drying. Plants in that area can actually drown during wet seasons. So be sure you know what the mulch will do to soil pH, and the pH requirements of the plants in your landscape. As mentioned above, pine needles will reduce the soil pH to about 5.0. Hardwood bark mulch usually keeps the pH around 5.5 to 6.0.

1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO or visit us online at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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What Is Black Mulch?

There are many reasons to use black mulch. Some people like the way the black mulch looks. People also choose black mulch for the way that the black mulch accents their decor. There are a couple things you should know about black mulch before you select black mulch for your garden or landscape bed.

Black mulch serves both functionally and decoratively in finishing your landscape. Black mulch is able to provide a nice look to your landscape but black mulch also can assist in helping protect plants from light. Because black mulch is well, black it reflects the sun, which in turn keeps your plants from receiving to much sunlight. Black mulch also keeps your plants warmer because the black mulch traps the warmth of the sun but reflects the UV rays.

Despite all of the advantages of using black mulch, like how black mulch looks in your landscape beds or how black mulch keeps your plants warm and helps reflect the UV rays, there also some disadvantages of using black mulch. One of the most obvious disadvantages of using black mulch would be whether or not the black mulch accents your landscape in the way you would like the mulch to.

Another disadvantage to using black mulch would be the dye used to tint the black mulch to its deep color. If you choose to use the black mulch, you must consider the dye used to tint the mulch black. Some dyes use coal to make the black mulch, which can be harmful to your landscape. If you choose to stick with the black mulch for your landscape beds, consider using black mulch that has been dyed naturally. When the black mulch has used a natural color process, you run less of a risk of harming your landscape.

The potential for pollutants increases when using black mulch. Substances that are toxic to plants and humans may have been used in black mulch. If using the black mulch in a garden, make sure the black mulch does not contain plastic which then in turn means the black mulch can contain zinc, benzene, or other toxins.

Other considerations when choosing mulch for your landscape beds would be future removal. Removal of black mulch consisting of plastic means the mulch will not decay over time, meaning the black mulch must be removed by hand. The plastic black mulch remaining in the environment over time could eventually become a pollutant. A wood-based black mulch will decay over time.

In summary, black mulch would be great addition to any landscape, depending on decor. One must research the black mulch they are purchasing so that the black mulch does not have a negative effect on the environment, as some black mulch does. After considering how the black mulch is made, the black mulch looks great with most siding colors. Black mulch looks especially great with most colors of brick and siding. Black mulch really highlights your landscape. Choose black mulch to really bring out the hard work you have out into your landscape.

Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area. 1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. You can also visit us online for mulch at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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What Is the Right Garden Mulch for You?

There are many ways for you to make the decisions necessary for determine the right garden mulch for your landscaping needs.

When deciding on which garden mulch is the garden mulch to meet your landscaping needs, there is much to be considered. There are many factors to consider when deciding which is the garden mulch to suit your landscaping needs. One can tackle this decision by considering the different types of garden mulch. This can been done easily by judging the garden mulches based on the same criteria, while presenting the garden mulch separately.

First, you must consider how garden mulch will affect the soil’s pH. Some garden mulch may lower a soil’s pH, while other garden mulches will increase a soil’s pH. People have long suspected that garden mulch affects the pH in soil when it decomposes. A lot of people believe that whether or not garden mulch had pine needles or garden mulch has oak leaves will affect its pH. One must understand that garden mulch only changes pH in soil an insignificant amount.

Understanding that garden mulch does not affect the pH in soil, what should one consider when choosing garden mulch? Issues surrounding garden mulch selection should include whether the garden mulch serves your landscaping preference. A consumer must really consider the two main purposes of garden mulch, weed suppression and erosion control.

Furthermore, consumers should consider the temperature garden mulch keeps the soil in the summer. Also, whether or not the garden mulch keeps soils moist. After all, garden mulch should help, not hinder the landscaping growth-process. Garden mulch should reduce the need for watering and the mulch should also protect roots from extreme heat.

Another consideration that should be kept in mind when look for garden mulch should be whether or not the garden mulch will hinder the spring growth process for plants that do not remain alive above ground all winter. The heavier the garden mulch, the more the garden mulch will hinder the re-growth process. Organic garden mulch would hinder the growth of new spring plants. Sometimes, a garden mulch should be removed altogether before spring.

Coming from a landscaping standpoint, the color of your garden mulch must be considered. A light-colored garden mulch will let your landscaping stand out. While a dark-colored garden mulch may take away from your landscaping. One must consider the landscaping and color of the house when choosing the right garden mulch for their outdoor needs. Contrasting with your garden mulch is probably the bet. If you have a light house, go with dark garden mulch. If you have a dark house go with light garden mulch.

All factors considered, garden mulch should help, not hinder the growth process within your landscape. Also, garden mulch should accent your beautiful landscaping or garden mulch should disguise the flaws. The pros of choosing garden mulch over using other landscaping materials depends on the look and purpose you are going for. Choosing the right garden mulch can save you time and effort throughout the year. Garden mulch is an asset to your landscape, do your research about the garden mulch you are about to purchase to make sure it is the right garden mulch for you. Consider all factors about garden mulch, the color of the garden mulch, the purpose of the garden mulch, and the garden mulch will help you with all of your landscaping goals.

Mulch: What Is It And What Does It Do?

Mulch is a protective cover to retain moisture, reduce erosion, provide nutrients, and reduces weed growth and seed germination. mulch is placed over soil and the mulch used in gardens to imitate leaf cover that is found on forests found on the forest floors.

Mulch is derived from many materials and the types of mulch depend on a number of factors. One choosing to use mulch in their outdoor landscape takes many factors into consideration. A factor in mulch material production considers the availability of the mulch, the cost of the mulch, how the mulch will look within the landscape beds, and how the mulch will affect soil. Some of the effects mulch can have on soil are chemical reactions and pH, the durability of the mulch, the combustibility of the mulch, the rate at which the mulch will decompose, and the cleanliness of the mulch.

Materials used as mulch include organic residues, compost, rubber, plastic, and rocks and gravel. Mulch made of organic residue include grass clippings, leaves, hay, straw, shredded bark, bark nuggets. Organic residue mulch acts as a direct composting system. This type of mulch is very eco-friendly. A compost mulch should be fully composted to avoid any type of weed breeding problem that may occur in this mulch. Rubber mulch is usually made from recycled tires. The plastic mulch is a actually a plastic sheet acting as a mulch. This type of mulch causes concern when disposing for the environment. Rock or gravel mulch may extend the growing season in cooler climates because rock mulch retains heat.

Applying mulch is one of the best things you can do from your landscaping. Mulch benefits all types of landscaping. Mulch benefits flower and plant beds, trees, and gardens. When mulch is spread over the top of soil it protects against erosion and preserves moisture within the soil. There are many benefits to using organic mulch and inorganic mulch. Organic mulch tends to be the more beneficial of the two mulches as this mulch provides nutrients to the soil. Mulch helps plants, flowers, vegetables, and tree soil to maintain its temperature. Mulch is great for improving your landscape because mulch reduces, if not, eliminate weed growth. Mulch application reduces garden maintenance.

Why would someone decide to use mulch in his or her outdoor landscape? That all depends on your landscaping needs. Before buying mulch, one must ask a number of questions to determine which mulch is for them. Are you looking to reduce weed growth? Is mulch needed to improve soil? Should I use fabric as a mulch? How much wood mulch should be purchased when using a wood mulch? How long do you want the mulch to last? After answering your own mulch question, the mulch-buying process will become much easier. Sometimes the most important question to people is how the mulch will accent their outdoor landscaping.

Mulching is the most important way to maintain healthy landscape plants. No one can argue this point about mulch, which is why so many people decide to use mulch over their plants. Mulch is any material applied to the soil surface for protection or improvement of the area in which the mulch covers. Mulch is really all due to nature. Mulch is created by nature and humans just try to effectively recreate the positive effects of this material. When one fully understands the idea of mulch and its purpose, mulch can be used effectively and beautifully to enhance anyone’s landscape. Mulch is extremely beneficial to a garden and looks great. Consider all aspects of mulch and you should not have a problem purchasing the right mulch for you.

Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area. 1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. You can also visit us online for mulch at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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What Is Bark Mulch?

Bark mulch is one of the most used mulches in landscape beds. Bark mulch looks good in your garden and does a great job in conserving water. Just like all mulches, bark mulch is a good way to control or minimize weeds. Bark mulch also does a great job of retaining moisture in the soil on which the mulch is placed. All bark mulch products must be at least 85% bark of the tree that it is named after to be considered bark mulch.

One down side to using bark mulch is that bark mulch often comes in large chips and doesn’t look as clean as other mulches. Large pieces of bark mulch also tend to float away after heavy rains. As a result, bark mulch doesn’t decompose as fast as other mulches. To some using the mulch as part of décor as opposed to using the much as nutrients, this is a plus. However, many landscape supply companies offer shredded bark mulch and double shredded bark mulch. By shredding the bark mulch it provides a much cleaner look. Shredded bark mulch also adds value to your garden. Shredding bark mulch will not only conserve water for your plants, but also when the bark mulch is shredded, it will decompose quicker. Shredded bark mulch will also ad nutrients to the soil.

Another benefit of using bark march is that bark mulch doesn’t seem to be as effected by insects as other form of mulches. The one insect that greatly affects the benefits of bark mulch is a termite. Termites love the wood contents in bark mulch. When using bark mulch, one should place the mulch away from their home or building to reduce the chances of the insect getting into the wood of their structure. Placing the mulch a few inches away should be sufficient enough protection when using bark mulch.

There are many types of bark mulch that come from different trees. Bark mulch can have different colors as well. A bark mulch made form the spruce tree tends to be a uniform brown color and the mulch has a wonderful spruce smell. Mulch made from hemlock bark is red in color. The oils fond in this bark will repel against bugs, thus the mulch serves as a bug repellent. Pine and cedar are also a great mulches used for their wonderful aroma. Cedar mulch is a medium brown color.

Choosing to use bark mulch in your outdoor landscape can prove to be beneficial in many ways. Enhancing the looks of your landscape is the number one reason people choose to use bark mulch. The colors, aromas, and benefits are great when it come to choosing mulch. Bark mulch is reasonably cheap, readily available, and people are pretty familiar with seeing it in landscape mulch beds. Bark mulch can be easily turned over into the soil creating more nutrients. Some will argue that this causes them to lay more mulch, more frequently. When an individual chooses to use larger bark pieces, they fade and lose their look more quickly. So both large pieces of mulch and finer pieces of wood mulch need to be turned over.

The worst type of mulch an individual can choose to use would be trail mulch, the wood chips extracted from the wood chipper. This mulch provides little to no nutrients for soil. So, for growing purposes, trail chips are not the best choice in gardens. This type of mulch needs to go through a few changes before it breaks down. The changes require animals to break down the mulch. This means that the mulch we have laid actually competes with out plants for food because animals will then break down the mulch and use the plants for food. Unlike hardwood mulches, soft wood mulches break down easily into the soil.

When using bark mulch one must consider following the preceding tips to ensure the bark mulch is used effectively. First, when laying the mulch around a tree, make sure the mulch is less than two inches deep. Do not pile the mulch around the trunk. The mulch should also be pulled away form the base of the trunk. Mulch that is piled too high encourages insects to nest and inhabit the area. The trunk should be able to breath with the mulch placed around it. Lastly, when placing bark mulch in its desired place, the soil and plants needs a good watering where the mulch is going to go.

Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area. 1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. You can also visit us online for mulch at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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Using Inorganic Mulch For Your Landscaping

Mulching is defined as the practice of place a loose surface onto a surface of soil in your garden in order to protect, insulate, and beautify the area. There are many types of inorganic mulches on the market now, this type of mulch is defined as inert materials that have not originated from living material. Often times when one decides to use mulch for gardening and growing purposes, they choose to use inorganic much in conjunction with organic mulch. For commercial and landscaping purposes, inorganic mulch is used by itself. There are many pros and cons to using inorganic mulch. The end-consumer must do their research about the purpose of each type of mulch to decide whether organic mulch or inorganic mulch is best for them. Mulch is used to suppress weed growth, retain soil moisture, improve the look of landscape, maintain soil temperatures, and many other uses.

Inorganic mulch comes in many forms. The types of inorganic mulch include stone, plastic or rubber, crushed glass, and geotextile. Some stone mulches include crushed gravel and granite mulches, river rock or small stone mulches, lava rock mulch, decorative and colorful stone mulch, sand mulch, and crushed brick mulch. Geotextile mulch is an expensive blanket-like synthetic fiber. Sometimes people choose to use organic mulch and inorganic mulch together and choose to do this by laying down a geotextile and covering it with bark mulch.

There are many reasons one may choose to use a stone mulch in their outdoor landscaping. Stone not only looks great, but this mulch also provides great insulation to the soil. Using crushed stones or gravel mulch allows water to penetrate the soil more easily than wood chip mulch or bark mulch. Seeds will also find their way through this type of mulch easier than through wood-type mulches. Stone mulch also enhances the look of landscape. There are so many types of stone mulch to choose from making this mulch a great asset to your landscape. Stone mulch come in many shapes, sizes and color. Crushed glass mulch can be grouped in this category of mulch.

Plastic and rubber mulches also have the advantages and disadvantages. The most common plastic mulch is recycled rubber tires. Plastic and rubber mulch do not decompose which is why many people choose to use this mulch. This type of mulch does not need to be replaced as often as other types of mulch. Plastic and rubber mulch act as a great weed control mulch. If laying down a sheet of plastic mulch, the plastic mulch must be perforated to allow water to pass through to the soil. The plastic sheet mulch should be one to six millimeters in thickness. The downside to using a plastic or rubber mulch is that it does not provide any nutrients to the soil. This mulch also works as an insulator which will smother weed seeds, but also this mulch can kill all of the good things found in soil.

Geotextile mulch is an expensive blanket-like synthetic fiber. This mulch allows for great water penetration. This mulch is almost always used in conjunction with a wood mulch. Bark mulch and wood chips are used to cover geotextile mulch. While the geotextile mulch does not need to be replaced as frequently as the wood chips, the mulch should still be replaced at some time. A single layer of the geotextile mulch should be used. In order for geotextile mulch to effectively let water pass through, it should be properly penetrated. This type of mulch is usually black.

Given the advantages and disadvantages of inorganic mulch, one can determine which mulch best serves their landscaping purpose. It has been determined that inorganic mulch does not provide any nutrients to the soil but does provide great weed control and water penetration. There are countless types of inorganic mulches to choose from. Finding the right mulch for you is quite easy given all of the Types Of Mulches on the market. If price is the concern when finding the right mulch for your landscaping purposes, inorganic mulch provides many cost-friendly options. Inorganic mulch proves to be a great alternative to using organic mulch.

Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area. 1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. You can also visit us online for mulch at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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Proper Mulch Application For Your Landscape

The application of mulch depends heavily on the purpose you would like your mulch to serve. If using mulch to make a landscape more appealing, the application of the mulch is not as critical as the application of mulch used to serve a purpose in your gardening needs. When it comes to the proper application of mulch, one must consider the climate and the type of mulch used, along with the purpose of the mulch.

Mulch application is affected by the time of year and temperature it is when the mulch is applied. Temperature needs to be considered when applying any type of mulch. When one is applying mulch in temperate climates, changes in the temperature affect the effectiveness of the mulch and its purpose. When mulch is applied in late winter or early spring, the mulch slows the ground-thawing process. This mulch application proves ineffective when applying the mulch at this time. If the ground is still frozen the mulch will serve as an insulator, holding in moisture by inhibiting moisture under which the mulch is applied.

When mulch is applied at peak soil temperatures, which would be summer, the mulch will maintain the high temperature. When mulch is applied at this temperature the soil will remain warm well into the fall season. Applying mulch at this time proves to be a complex situation, however. Mulch applied at this time prevents much needed sunlight to reach through the mulch into the soil. The mulch over soil reduces evaporation. On the other hand, mulch will absorb whatever light rainfall hits the mulch during this time. In this case, the mulch inhibits water absorption into the soil. Heavy rain will allow the mulch to absorb the water, as well as the soil beneath the mulch.

The most beneficial time for mulch to be applied is in late spring or early summer. The soil to which the mulch is applied is warm and the mulch helps to retain the moisture within the soil at this time. At this point in the growing season the mulch will serve its intended purpose. The plants which are growing in the mulch beds are enough established for whatever the weather should bring. The plants will flourish at this time even though the mulch increases the number of snails and slugs.

The application of plastic mulch is a bit more involved. Plastic mulch application usually involves using a tractor or laying down a layer of plastic mulch sheeting. When applying plastic mulch, the beds in which the plastic mulch is placed is raised. This is so that the plastic mulch can then be punctured and seeds placed underneath. Drip irrigation is then placed underneath the plastic mulch, as the plastic mulch is impermeable.

Organic mulch is usually applied in home gardens and in small farming operations. This mulch is spread by hand around the plants to encourage the nutrients from the organic mulch to penetrate the soil. When an individual uses straw or hay, a shredder may be used to shred the mulch into smaller pieces. Organic mulch should be piled high atop the soil to allow for settling of the mulch throughout the season. Organic mulch made of bark or wood chips should be used cautiously as the mulch may contain termites. This type of mulch should be applied further away from buildings.

There are many factors to consider when applying mulch to your landscaping beds or when using the mulch for effective growing purposes. A major factor in determining the correct mulch application is the temperature at the time in which you apply the mulch. There are different factors used to determine which mulch is right for your purpose. Look into which mulch will work best for you and at which time the mulch should be applied to your beds.

Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area. 1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. You can also visit us online for mulch at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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Organic Mulch For Your Landscaping Needs

There are basically two types of mulch to consider when purchasing mulch for your landscaping and that is organic and inorganic mulch. Mulch is described as any material applied over top of the soil surface for protection or improvement of the covered area. Both organic mulch and inorganic mulch have their place in the garden. One must decide which mulch benefits their landscaping needs most. An organic mulch is a mulch made of natural substances. Inorganic mulch materials consist of rocks, plastics, and fabrics.

Organic mulch can be made of many substances which are naturally occurring. Bark, wood chips, pine needles, leaves, or even grass clippings. Organic mulches decompose over time so the mulch should be replaced regularly to serve the mulch’s purpose. Organic mulch attracts many creatures, which could be a good or a bad thing depending on the purpose of the mulch and the creature the mulch is attracting. Some of the creature organic mulch attracts include slugs, worms, insects, and even birds. Birds will probably eat your mulch causing you to replace the mulch more frequently. Usually organic mulch should be replaced every couple of years.

Organic mulch is mostly made up of one’s yard waste. The materials in this type of mulch can include grass clippings, hay and straw, leaf mold, leaves, bark, pine needles, wood, shells, and ground cover. Organic mulch consisting of grass clippings should just be left on the lawn. This mulch decomposes quickly and the mulch adds nutrients back into the soil. Sufficient covering for this type of mulch would be a two-inch layer. Grass clipping mulch will provide weed control provided the mulch does not contain weed seeds. Grass mulch should be dry and free of herbicides. Mulch that is damp could form a solid mat over your lawn, making the purpose of this mulch ineffective.

Hay and straw are also used as mulch. Although, one should not use hay as mulch. Mulch made of hay contains too many weed seeds, counter-acting the purpose of a mulch as a weed barrier. Straw mulch decomposed rapidly so would need to be replaced often in your mulch beds. Straw mulch would also need to be replaced frequently to reduce weed growth in your mulch beds. Straw mulch does not look very nice in any landscape so is best used in a vegetable garden or over a newly planted lawn. Straw mulch will improve your soil more as it decays.

Leaves and leaf mold mulch serve many great purposes for your mulching needs. Leaf mold mulch should be used in the soil as opposed to on top of the soil due to the fact that this mulch can prevent a crust over your soil. This type of mulch will prevent water from working its way through the mulch into the soil. Leaves that are two to three inches layered will provide a great weed coverage mulch. Leaf mulch should be shredded before being applied. A mulch made of whole leaves would blow away. Make sure the mulch is chopped big enough so that water can penetrate the soil. Mulch shredded too fine will form a barrier against penetrating water. Leaf mulch should be dug into the soil once the mulch decomposes and another layer of mulch should be applied.

There are three types of wood mulches, which another type of organic mulch. Wood mulch includes pine bark, shredded hardwood mulch, and wood chips. Pine bark Mulch Works as a weed barrier and makes a landscape more attractive. Pine bark mulch comes in various sizes. Large pieces of pine bark mulch can float away in the rain, so this should be considered when thinking about this mulch for your landscape. Shredded hardwood mulch serves the same purpose and decomposes fairly slowly. Mulch made of wood chips decomposes rapidly and may attract termites and other insects.

Ground cover mulch consists of perennial plants. These plants include ivy, periwinkle, mondo grass, and liriope. These plants serve as a great mulch. This mulch gives great soil coverage.

The use of organic mulch is great for landscaping and is even better for the environment. Many people are using this type of mulch as opposed to inorganic mulch. Organic mulch is effective in every aspect of its use and should be considered for all landscaping needs.

Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area. 1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. You can also visit us online for mulch at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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Mulch For Your Vegetable Garden

The key to saving lots of time maintaining your vegetable garden is to lay mulch over top of the soil. Mulching flower and vegetable beds reduces the amount water used to keep the soil beneath the soil moist. mulch reduces the amount of weeds that may potentially grow in your vegetable garden. Pests also resist infestation in a bed where mulch is present. On top of all of the time sent in your vegetable garden, mulch also makes the garden more visually appealing. Mulch prevents dirt from splashing up onto your flowers and vegetables, which also helps the appearance of your garden.

The first thing to consider when choosing to lay mulch in your vegetable garden would be the amount of money it will cost you to lay the mulch. Mulch is usually sold by the cubic yard. This measurement of mulch usually confuses most gardeners. Simply measure the area you desire to mulch, multiply length by width of the mulch bed. Then, decide how deep in inches you would like the mulch to be. Lastly, multiply the area of the desired mulch area by the depth you desire and divide by 324. This answer will give you the amount, in cubic yards, of mulch you need for your vegetable garden.

There are two main types of mulch to consider, inorganic mulch and organic mulch. When deciding on which type to use for your vegetable garden, one should choose to use organic mulch. Organic mulch is mulch that used to be living material. Mulches that are considered to be organic include grass clippings, pine needles, leaves, and bark. Organic mulch benefits a vegetable garden by providing the soil much-needed nutrients. The nutrients from mulch seeps into the soil as it decomposes. Organic mulch also promotes earthworm activity beneath the soil. These benefits alone are enough to encourage one to use organic mulch. Although all things have their drawbacks, organic mulch encourages rodent infestation so should not be used in an area with rodent problems. In moist climates, organic mulch may hold too much moisture in the soil. This type of mulch in a much to moist climate could encourage slugs and snails to infest the vegetable garden and can also cause the roots of the vegetables touching the mulchto rot.

After deciding to use organic mulch, one must decide which kind they are going to use. There are a lot of different kinds of organic mulches on the market. For gardening purposes, most people choose to use compost mulch; it is the best as determined by the agriculture extension office across the country. Compost mulch allows for the most water to seep through into the soil of your vegetable garden. PH is not affected by the use of compost mulch, which increases the fertility of the soil. To increase weed control in the soil, one should lay leaves, glass clippings, or straw over the top layer of mulch. Other types of mulch used in vegetable gardens include newspaper and cardboard mulch, leaves and grass clipping mulch, straw and hay mulch, and wood chips or shredded bark mulch. All have their pros and cons and all should be considered when choosing which to lie atop your vegetable garden soil.

Now after deciding how much, which type of organic or inorganic mulch you are going to purchase for your vegetable garden, one must determine when to lay the mulch down. The earlier in the season you decide to lay the mulch, the better. Laying mulch earlier in the season will save time later and increase the vegetable garden’s yield. Ideally, mulch should be laid down after seeds have germinated. Also, check the temperature of your soil; it should be warmed through in order to help the plants that thrive the warm, moist soil. Depending on the density of the mulch, one should lay two to six inches of mulch over topsoil in the vegetable garden.

Vegetable garden can thrive and really be a great feature in anyone’s yard. Depending on the kinds of vegetables and environment, a vegetable garden can be very low-maintenance with the proper application of organic mulch. Choosing to lay an organic mulch over-top of your vegetable garden will allow for less work throughout the growing season. Simply following the previous steps and considering all factors of the growing area will allow for a prosperous and low-maintenance vegetable garden.

Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area. 1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. You can also visit us online for mulch at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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Mulching For Weed Control

Mulch is a protective cover placed over soil to retain moisture, reduce erosion, provide nutrients, and last, though certainly not least, to suppress weed growth and germination. When gardening and landscaping, one is usually most concerned with suppressing the growth of weeds in their beds. Mulching helps with this problem tremendously. mulch improves the looks of landscaping by inhibiting the growth of weeds in the beds. Mulch also deters weeds from growing in vegetable gardens, which in turn will help the vegetables grow better.

Weed control ends up being a constant battle in many home gardens. The quickest and most inexpensive fix for weeds is mulch. Mulch can be purchased for most, if not all, home improvement and garden stores. Standard mulch cover prevents most weed growth. Mulch prevents the weeds from accessing much needed light the weeds need to germinate.

A very popular mulch used to kill already existing weeds in beds would be cardboard mulch. Cardboard mulch is an inexpensive way to kill out weeds in a large area. Using this type of mulch helps kill existing weeds in the bed while preventing new weeds from growing. Using cardboard mulch is quite easy. First, breakdown the cardboard boxes into sheets and lay over-top of the beds, overlapping the sheets a bit to prevent weeds from growing through the mulch. Water the cardboard mulch until it s thoroughly saturated. Next, cover the cardboard mulch with eight inches of straw mulch or wood chip mulch. This prevents weeds that penetrate through the cardboard mulch to mature. Once the mulch has settled for one week, cut holes through the mulch and plant desired seedlings in the holes through the mulch. Alternatively, this mulching technique can be performed the year before that the weeds are completely gone come next planting season.

A preventative measure to be taken is applying a preemergent for weed control. Be cautious when choosing to use a preemergent herbicide, read the labels to make sure it is suitable for the plants you are placing it around. Unfortunately, placing a preemergent herbicide below existing mulch means all seeds are prevented from germinating for three to four months. To apply the preemergent herbicide existing mulch needs to be raked aside from where it is being placed. The mulch can be piled to the side of the garden or bed or the mulch can be removed completely. Spread the herbicide all over the soil and spray the area with water. Replace the mulch, which should be two to three inches deep. Mulch laid this thick should prevent weeds from reemerging.

The number one mulching method used to prevent weeds before they become a problem is choosing to lay down plastic liner mulch. Laying plastic mulch beneath more attractive mulch and over soil is ideal for curb appeal and weed control. Lay down the plastic mulch and cut slits in the liner where seeds are to be planted. After this step, cover the plastic sheet much with any desired mulch, depending on your landscaping needs. This top layer of mulch holds the plastic mulch in place.

Weed is the enemy when is comes to landscaping any area. Many view mulch as an added step in the landscaping and gardening process. While mulching is an added process, it is much needed. Preventing weeds is a necessary step as getting rid of weeds once they have grown is more tedious and time-consuming. Mulching should always be considered in any landscaping or gardening process. Mulch is attractive and functional, as well.

Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area. 1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. You can also visit us online for mulch at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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The Right Mulch For Your Garden

Gardeners choose to use mulch for many reasons, the most important being weed-control. People choose to garden because it is a soothing hobby. Unfortunately if one chooses not to mulch their garden, they will be spending most of their time weeding rather than planting in their gardens. Mulching is crucial when it comes to gardening, any gardener will preach the benefits of mulching. Fruit trees and shrubs thrive in a soil covered by wood mulch. Perennial flowerbeds thrive underneath a compost mulch or an organic mulch of the like. There are dozens of kinds of mulch to consider when choosing the right one or you plants. When it comes to vegetable gardens, mulching gets a bit more involved.

There are many kinds of mulch to be considered when planting a vegetable garden. There is oat straw mulch, newspaper mulch, grass clipping mulch, burlap coffee bag mulch, leaf mulch, and plastic mulch. Many people use whatever is available at the time of planting their gardens. Results are mixed when using all of these different Types Of Mulches when it comes to the outcome of the garden beneath the mulch. Straw mulch looks great in a garden but tends to be a bit pricey. Another drawback of straw mulch is the seeds in contains. The seeds found in this mulch can cause unwanted plants to grow within the mulch. Newspaper clipping mulch blows around and does not look the best in a garden setting. grass clipping mulch can contain seeds that can cause grass to grow throughout the mulch and within the garden.

An effective mulch choice in gardens tends to be burlap. Burlap mulch can be laid over sheets of newspaper in the pathways of the garden. While this does not look the best, the burlap mulch keeps weed growth at bay. Leaf mulch is also quite effective, although leaf mulch tends to blow away. Black plastic mulch yields great results but is quite hard to maintain. Black plastic mulch is difficult to lie down and this mulch tends to blow away. This type of mulch prevents rainwater from seeping though it into the soil. Another downfall to using black plastic mulch is the waste it creates for landfills.

Ideally, one should match the mulch to the crop. Not all vegetable plants thrive in the same mulch. Peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, and melons love heat, therefore black plastic mulch is the best type of mulch for these plants. The black plastic mulch retains heat within the soil. When this mulch is chosen for these plants, getting the water to the roots of the pants can be a hassle. Plants that thrive in cooler soil should not b covered with black plastic mulch. Cool-weather crops like these thrive underneath straw mulch, shredded leaf mulch, or newspaper mulch.

Weather is a factor when determining the mulch that will work best for your vegetable garden. People living in warmer climates should use mulch other than black plastic mulch. Using plastic mulch like his can cause the soil and plants underneath the mulch to overheat, causing organic matter to burn up. Straw mulch or leaf mulch will cool soil in warmer climates. Planting in cool and wet climates requires mulch that will not retain moisture or keep the soil temperature too low. To warm the soil in early spring , use plastic mulch and then switch to mulch that will cool the soil down just a bit in a climate where this permits. Climate and soil type are deciding factors when it comes to a productive vegetable garden.

The factors to consider when planting a vegetable and properly mulching that garden are countless. The main factors include the effectiveness of the mulch, climate in the area the garden is to be planted and mulch laid down, and the soil type beneath where he mulch is to be placed. Doing your research beforehand regarding mulch, soil, and plants will prove to be most effective when choosing to plant a vegetable garden.

Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area. 1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. You can also visit us online for mulch at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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Using Leaves As Mulch

Using leaves as mulch is not a new idea by any means. Farmers and gardeners have been using leaves as mulch for quite some time now. There are many types of organic mulch and inorganic mulch on the market nowadays. While purchasing mulch for gardening and landscaping is quite easy, purchasing mulch for these needs can become quite expensive. Using leaves as mulch in gardens and landscaping beds can prove to be inexpensive and quite beneficial for these purposes. With the right tools and equipment, leaf mulch is a great alternative to purchasing mulch for whatever outdoor project requires mulch.

Leaf mulch is organic mulch used in vegetable garden, around plants, and occasionally landscaping beds and playscape areas. Rather than disposing of leaves in the trash, a person can shred them or compost them and use them in there landscape. Leaves should not be thoroughly decomposed when using them as mulch. Mulch is to be used as a weed suppressor, and a barrier between soil and the heat, cold, and wind. Mulch lies on top of soil to serve as this barrier and is exposed to the elements. If leaves are thoroughly decomposed, they are not serving as effective mulch for your plants. Decomposed leaves should not be used as mulch. Leaves ready to use as mulch should simply be shredded and placed on top of the soil desired for mulching.

People tend to confuse leaf compost and leaf mulch. Decomposed leaves should be used in the soil around the roots to promote growth. Shredded leaves should be placed on top of the soil as mulch for planting needs. Bins can be used to store both the composted leaves and the leaves intended to be sued for mulch. The bin used to hold the leaf mulch simply serves as a temporary holding tank. If the leaves are left there too long they will begin to decompose, defeating the purpose of using these leaves as mulch. If leaves begin to decompose, the mulch will be ineffective in suppressing weed growth. Lying composted leaves as mulch atop soil will promote weed growth, actually.

After determining the difference between decomposed leaves and leaves used as mulch, using whole or shredded leaves becomes a question to many. Whole leaves can be used around large plants, trees, and shrubs. The large leaf mulch will smother weeds and will improve the soil. Simply scatter some dirt over top of the leaf mulch to keep it in place. Large leaves used like this as mulch take over a year to break down, which has great benefits. Shredded leaves also work as great mulch. The leaves can be shredded by running over the leaves with a lawn mower or by using a shredder. Shredded leaf mulch prevents erosion and also insulates soil. In order to prevent diseases from growing underneath the soil the area to be mulched should be cleaned up at the end of the growing season and a frost should have formed before the mulch is laid.

There are many benefits to choosing to use leaf mulch in mulch beds and gardening beds. Mulch can be pricey, as previously stated. Leaves fall from your trees and those are free. If choosing to shred leaves before using them as mulch, a shredder needs to be rented or purchased. Purchasing cubic feet of mulch runs pretty expensive, so in comparison, you will probably save money over the years. Preparing leaf mulch on your own in highly beneficial to gardens and their plants. It is a safer alternative to grass clipping mulch. grass clipping mulch may contain insecticides, which can be harmful to the plants beneath the mulched area.

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Wood Chips As Mulch

The use of mulch for any purpose in landscape settings is a given. Mulch is used to improve the aesthetics of landscaping and mulch is used to improve growing conditions in any garden setting. One really needs to consider the area in which the growing will take place and what types of plants will be placed there in order to determine the best type of mulch to use. There are many benefits to choosing mulch for your landscaping purposes. The benefits of using mulch include soil, plant, system, and people benefits. Research studies show wood chip mulch is the perfect choice where trees and shrubs are present.

In areas where the dominant feature in a landscape, wood chip mulch is one of the best choices of mulch. Wood chip mulch is a great performer when it comes to moisture retention in the soil beneath where the mulch is placed. This mulch also moderates the temperature quite well, controls weed growth, and is great mulch for sustainability. On top of these benefits for growing purposes, wood chip mulch is a very attractive choice in terms of aesthetics. Wood chip mulch, in some areas, may even be available or free, making this mulch an economically practical choice for landscaping.

Choosing to use wood chip mulch versus other mulches has many other benefits. Research shows that wood chip mulch out-performs 15 other types of organic mulch. These mulches include grass clipping mulch, leaf mulch, compost mulch, bark mulch, and yard waste mulch. Usage of the more uniform sawdust mulch or bark mulch proves to be beneficial, but there are drawbacks of choosing to use these mulches. Unfortunately, sawdust mulch decomposes quickly and the mulch compacts quite a bit. Wood chip mulch is a slow decomposer and thus this mulch creates a more diverse and healthy plant population. Wood chip mulch supplies many nutrients slowly into the soil on top of which it is placed. Because wood chip mulch is a bit thicker than other mulches, it absorbs more water than most other mulches and release into the soil making it an ideal choice.

Main reason people choose to mulch landscape beds and garden is for weed control. Using wood chip mulch is very beneficial when it comes to this type of weed prevention. Wood chip mulch reduces the light needed to germinate seeds, inhibits the germinations of seeds, and reduces the nitrogen needed for seedling survival. Seeing as how the major reason people choose to mulch is weed prevention in gardens and visual landscapes, wood chip mulch is a great choice for your landscaping needs.

There are many drawbacks to using wood chip mulch, in addition to the many benefits of using this type of mulch. Many of the concerns associated with using wood chip mulch can prove to be untrue. Many people are concerned this mulch will provide soil with too much acid, mulch could release chemicals into the soil, mulch made from diseased trees may infest soil, wood chip mulch can be a fire hazard, the mulch might not allow nitrogen to reach the plants, and that the wood chip mulch may attract termites and other pests. Most of these concerns can prove to be untrue or to not even be a factor when the pros of using this mulch out-weigh the cons.

When applying wood chip mulch, there are many factors to be considered. If you are concerned that diseased mulch could affect your plants, let the mulch age before applying assuring that all diseases have decomposed. If you are concerned about the wood chip mulch being nutrient-deficient, apply a layer of compost beneath the wood chip mulch. Make sure to apply mulch before annual weeds begin to grow, thus suppressing the growth before it starts. Mulch should be applied to desired depth, the mulch must be deep enough to be effective and make sure the mulch is kept away from the base of shrubs and from tree trunks. Lastly, apply more layers of mulch as needed to maintain this depth.

Wood chip mulch is a great choice for any gardening or landscaping purpose. The mulch helps plants to grow, suppress weeds, and looks great places around plants and throughout landscape. There are many factors to consider and steps to take when choosing any mulch. In order for any mulch to be effective the mulch must work for you, not you for the mulch.

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How Much Mulch To Use For Your Garden

There are many types of gardens and they all serve different purposes in a landscape. When it comes to planning a garden, there are many factors to consider; where to put it, what to plant, and how to ensure the garden flourishes. A successful garden grows with healthy soil and the best way to get that is to mulch the garden properly. There are many types of mulch that can be used in garden settings. Leaf mulch, wood chip mulch, bark mulch, compost mulch, rubber mulch, and so on and so forth. After determining which pants will be planted in the garden, choosing the right mulch should be easy. Many people consider wood mulch to be ideal for flowerbeds and old, spoiled hay mulch is great for vegetable gardens.

To calculate the amount of mulch needed for your garden beds, the perimeter of the desired area to be mulched needs to be measured. For squares and rectangles you simply multiply length times width. If the bed to be mulch is circular, measure halfway across the circle and multiply that number by itself, then that answer and multiply that by 3.14. If the bed to be mulched is an irregular, curved shape, use a rope or objet of the like and find a way to straighten it out to get the length times width. After determining the area of your bed to be mulched, determine the depth you want the mulch to be. Knowing the calculations makes the trip to the store a lot easier and saves a lot of time when purchasing mulch.

Now that determining the amount of mulch needed for the garden has been figured out, many find themselves asking how thick the mulch should be laid. Depending on the type of garden and the weed situation existing in the bed will determine this. Most agree that anywhere from two to three inches of mulch is sufficient enough for any garden. Applying too much mulch to any garden causes many problems. Mulch that is laid too thick will cause the soil to become waterlogged, which can kill some plants. If mulch is placed to high around the trunk of a tree, diseases can develop around the water soaked area. Also, mulch that is too thick will attract rodents. If mulch isn’t laid high enough the mulch may not serve its purpose. Two to three inches of any mulch will prove to be effective in preventing weed growth and retaining moisture in the soil.

Now after deciding how much, one must also determine when to lay the mulch down. The earlier in the season you decide to lay the mulch, the better. Laying mulch earlier in the season will save time later and increase the vegetable garden’s yield. Ideally, mulch should be laid down after seeds have germinated. Also, check the temperature of your soil; it should be warmed through in order to help the plants that thrive the warm, moist soil. Depending on the density of the mulch, one should lay two to six inches of mulch over topsoil in the vegetable garden.

The key to saving lots of time maintaining your vegetable garden is to lay mulch over top of the soil. Mulching flower and vegetable beds reduces the amount water used to keep the soil beneath the soil moist. Mulch reduces the amount of weeds that may potentially grow in your vegetable garden. Pests also resist infestation in a bed where mulch is present. On top of all of the time spent in your vegetable garden, mulch also makes the garden more visually appealing. Mulch prevents dirt from splashing up onto your flowers and vegetables, which also helps the appearance of your garden.

People take a lot of time and consideration in the decision to grow a garden, where they are going to place the garden, and what they are going to plant I their garden. The amount of mulch needed in order to make the garden a successful one is very important as well. After determining the area of you garden and the depth the mulch should be, the rest will be easy and the garden will be a successful one.

Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area. 1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. You can also visit us online for mulch at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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Mulch For Landscaping And Gardening

Mulch is used for many different reasons. Generally speaking, inorganic mulches, which are made from natural growing materials such as wood and leaves, are use for gardening purposes. Organic mulch is usually used for landscaping purposes, to really finish and polish the look of any landscape. People choose to use landscaping mulches for many reasons and for different looks around their outdoor landscape. Choosing to use an inorganic, landscape has its pros and cons, just like with choosing to use organic gardening mulches. Each type of mulch has a purpose and benefits of choosing to use that specific mulch. Read further to determine the benefits of choosing landscaping mulches to fish off your landscaping needs.

When people think about mulch for aesthetic reasons in a landscape, people tend to be drawn to stones and gravel mulch. Rock mulch looks great, comes in many shapes, sizes, color, and textures. Depending on how much you want to spend on your decorative stone mulch, your choices may be limited when it comes to choosing to use stone mulch for landscaping purposes. Another effective choice when it comes to mulching your landscape would be gravel mulch. Another attractive choice for mulching a landscape would be to use wood chip mulch or bark mulch. When it comes to landscaping, though, most people choose to use rock mulch or gravel mulch, as they are the longest lasting mulches out there.

When it comes to mulching areas around playscapes, rubber mulch outperforms many mulch choices available. Rubber mulch is durable and is a long-lasting mulch. Safety is a great concern when mulching playground areas. Rubber tire mulch is often chosen to get this job done. Rubber mulch is often dyed to make the mulch appear more welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. Rubber tire mulch is made by recycling tires, which is great for our environment. Rubber mulch does not smell, is clean, long lasting, fights weed growth, and does not attract pests. Rubber mulch is easy to maintain and protects children from injuries. The benefit of choosing to use rubber mulch in playground settings and around playcapes is a great choice.

When mulching around tree, bushes, and large plants, choose to use a bark or wood mulch. The wood mulch or bark mulch can be dyed to better appeal to your landscape. Often times bark mulch can be found very affordable. Sometimes, this mulch can even be found free, depending on where you go. Because bark mulch and wood chip mulch tends to be made of larger mulch pieces, people choose to use a plastic sheet mulch below this wood mulch to prevent weeds from growing through spaces in the wood mulch. Just be sure not to pile the woodchip mulch too high around the base of plants. When mulch is piled to high around the base of plants, the mulch can inhibit the growth of the plants by suppressing water flow. If people what to avoid laying a fabric mulch or plastic mulch, choose to get a shredded bark mulch instead.

While there are many types of organic mulches on the market, many of these mulches prove ineffective in terms of making a landscape area more appealing. Leaf mulches, pine needle mulches, and compost mulches are not that attractive. These mulches also decompose. These mulches are generally used for planting garden and flowers so that the mulch also provides the soil with nutrients. Leaf mulch and other organic mulches of the like decompose and soon cannot be seen in a landscape.

People want their outdoor spaces to appear visually appealing to passers-by and mulching with stone mulch, gravel mulch, or bark mulch can help achieve this goal. With the many choices available to consumers in terms of mulch choices, it may be confusing, but there is a great mulch choice for anyone. Mulch is a great addition to any landscape.

Call 1-800-MULCH-PRO and get connected with a mulch professional that services your local area. 1-800-MULCH-PRO is a network of the most elite and reputable landscape supply companies in the country. You can also visit us online for mulch at www.1800mulchpro.com for more information.

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