Experience the Benefits of Mulch

No way around it, mulch is great way to improve the look and feel of your landscape and garden. It provides moisture holding properties and keeps weeds down by preventing light to cultivate seeds. Ascetically, it offers color and texture to every space.

Still landscapes styles vary, as does the mulch types we choose to use. Some prefer more of a hardscape using stone or rock around their bushes and plants, while others prefer the softer, warmer look of wood mulch. Both have their benefits and drawbacks.

From my experience, and I have both, stone and mulch, here is what I've learned ...

Stone or rock:

Pros: 

• Gives a finished cleaner look
• Adding a fabric barrier provides a good barrier against weeds
• Water flows through it, so the plants still benefit. 
• Once you install it you do not have to replenish it.
• It can be costly depending on type and style.

Cons:

• Once you install it, you are need to be happy with it. As it is a lot of work to remove.
• Using plants that spread is a not recommended, unless it's a "rock garden." 
• If your in a hot climate or with southern exposure, plants can get "burned" with the heat absorbed by the rock.

Wood mulch:

Pros:

• Provides a natural environment for growing plants.
• Breaks down naturally, adding nutrients to the soil. 
• Holds moisture for long periods of time. 
• Insulates around plants on cool nights and frosty mornings.
• Large variety of types and colors. 

Cons:

• It breaks down and needs to be replenished every couple of years. 
• First base of 3 inches can be costly. 
• Some colored mulch is toxic to pets, ie: chocolate, reds, etc. 
• If you add a fabric barrier, it adds protection against weeds -  but prevents the break down of nutrients into the soil. So a win/loose deal. 

For paths:
Mulch is a great resource for paths and garden entry ways, too. We created a small path through a mulched area using fabric, pea stone and rock. For the most part the path is easy to walk on and weed free. Other path ideas include stepping stones, concrete, tiles, wood mulch and crushed concrete. Again, it's a personal and style choice.

Preparing beds for stone or rock:
Begin with landscape edging (which also varies in type and style), and fabric once you have the area cleared. Some people prefer to plant their plants first, but cutting the fabric around them can be tricky- still this is the best route in existing beds. For new beds, installing edging and fabric up to it, then cutting places for plants is the easiest way to get started.

Preparing beds for wood mulch:

I like to use a weed preventative such as Preen in my wood mulched garden beds. Preen is a pre-emergent, meaning once you have removed existing weeds, the product will keep new weed seeds from emerging. No  magic here, to make the weeds go away you will still need to pull them. (Of course, you could kill everything with Round-up weed killer.) Preen is a chemical-based product so read the label. It can be harmful to certain pets. Preen is not cheap either, costing from $13 to $25 a container. I like to put Preen down and work it into the existing mulch, then cover with a fresh layer of mulch. For more information about Preen visit their website. Cypress is my mulch of choice. It is shredded enough so that my dogs don't think the wood chunks are play toys. 

An organic weed preventative (pre-emergent), corn gluton meal is also available and an option. I have not tried this myself, but  have been reading about it. Here a link for more information on it. And if your into the organic aspect, check out this Winchester Gardens website for an abundance of  organic fertilizing products.

Happy Mulching!