When it comes to sprucing up your Central Florida landscape, with either organic mulch, stones, or rocks, there are a few tricks of the trade to keep in mind to get the most our of your mulch delivery.
Skimping on applying not enough mulch, and you won’t reap the benefits. Applying too much mulch or not in the right place, and you can end up killing your plants.
Here are a few professional tricks of the trade for installing mulch so you can get the best results
Avoid applying mulch directly against tree bases or plant crowns.
When mulch is applied directly in contact with tree trunks and stems, it can cause a host of issues. The excess moisture retained near the base of the plant can foster diseases and crown rot. The higher piles of mulch around the base of a plant can also attract stem eating rodents and predatory insects. Just make sure you give the base of a plant or tree a little breathing room.
When much is distributed too thickly can cause issues
It is important to apply mulch about 3 inches thick. If organic mulch is much higher than this, it can start to rot. It can also be detrimental to your plants, creating a thatch like mat that stops water from getting through to the soil. It can also deprive the roots of the plant from the oxygen needed to thrive.
What to Consider when buying mulch.
Many commercial mulches, several sold at big box stores, can contain shredded construction debris, metals, toxic chemicals, and other waste you definitely don’t want on your property. Reputable mulch and soil supply companies are the best way to go. They will have clean and safe products.
Should you purchase your mulch by bag or bulk?
The average bag of mulch contains 2 or 3 cubic feet. Mulch by bulk is purchased by the cubic yard, a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. Bagged mulch tends to be much more expensive than bulk. So, if you have a good size landscape or garden project, you can save quite a bit buying in bulk. Don’t worry, you can have it delivered.
Before you go shopping, figure out how much mulch you will need. Buying too much mulch is a waste of money, buying too little is just a pain in the neck! A good rule of thumb, use about 2 inches deep for perennial beds and 3 to 4 inches for around trees and shrubs. One cubic foot usually covers 4 square feet 3 inches deep, while 1 cubic yard covers around 100 square feet at 3 inches deep.
Choose a mulch that best works for your project.
There are many different types of mulch on the market today. Feel free to stop by Reliable Peat, our skilled staff will walk you through and can help you decide based on your needs.
