Mulching like a professional in Central Florida is easier than you think. Much provide a host of benefits to your landscape and garden. Including preventing weeds from taking root, prevent moisture from evaporating, and shading roots from the heat of the sun. Choosing the right type of mulch can make all the difference from the cost to how much maintenance it will require.
Two Basic Types of Mulch
There are basically two types of mulch, organic and inorganic. Organic mulch such as bark, will improve the soil as it decomposes, adding vital nutrients into the soil. Organic bark mulch is relatively inexpensive, but will need to be reapplied about every year.
Inorganic mulch such as rocks and stones won’t need to be reapplied as often, but won’t add nutrients back into the soil.
The initial cost of rocks and stones is a little higher than organic bark mulch, but requires less maintenance.
Better Homes and Gardens provides a few tips for mulching.
Although the process of mulching seems simple (you just put it over the dirt, right?), there are some things to keep in mind. These are some of our best mulching tips.
Calculate how much mulch to buy. There’s nothing more frustrating than choosing the mulch you want and not having enough.
Not too thick, not too thin. Lay down mulch about 2 to 3 inches thick. Anything thicker could harbor pests, but in any case, it’s wasteful and unnecessary.
There’s no perfect time to apply mulch to beds. Your plants will welcome mulch any time of the year. If you apply mulch in late fall or early winter and you live in a cold climate, wait until the ground freezes before mulching.
Mulch trees and shrubs properly. Mulching around trees and shrubs is a great way to prevent injury from mowers and trimmers. As with beds, spread mulch 2-3 inches thick. Do not pile mulch against the trunk like a volcano—this can encourage pests and diseases.
No matter what type of mulch you purchase, make sure it is from a reliable source.
Purchasing mulch from an unreliable source can cause all your hard work to go to waste. For instance, if the bag of mulch you purchased at the big box store had noxious seeds, you could be spending the rest of the season pulling weeds and trying to repair the damages instead of admiring your beautiful landscape
At Reliable Peat, our goal is to offer the highest quality products at the best price. Take advantage of our holiday sale, 10% off all bulk orders over 6 yards, just mention this blog before you check out.
