Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Mulch

You want your trees--and all of your garden--to look their best, don't you? All plants could use a good mulching, and here's why:

1. Mulch reduces water evaporation

Our water bills are high enough without letting water go to waste in the garden. A good layer of mulch around your trees and plantings will help keep the moisture where you want it--in the soil. Without mulch, much of the water evaporates into the air. You will especially appreciate this water retention during those hot summer days.

2. Mulch reduces weeds

This is my personal favorite reason to mulch because I HATE weeding. Who wants to spend time pulling out those pesky intruders, knowing full well they will just reappear in a few weeks? Not me! Mulch helps keep those weeds away. Even better than mulch by itself, try this trick to defeat weeds: lay down at least five layers of newspapers, then cover with 3 - 5 inches of mulch. Trust me. Those weeds will never again rear their ugly heads.

3. Mulch moderates the soil temperature

With mulch, the soil stays cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. This will help keep your water bill down in the summer, and it will help keep your plants' roots alive in the winter.

Other benefits: mulch reduces soil erosion, helps trees develop a more extensive root system, helps potect trees from lawn mower damage, and add organic matter to the soil as it decomposes.

What is the best mulch? Organic! This includes wood chips, bark, pine needles, or other plant waste materials.

How much mulch should you use? Two to four inches is best. As it decomposes, more should be added. Be sure to keep the mulch a couple of inches away from the trunk of your trees. If it touches, it could cause rot.

If you have any questions or comments, please write!

This is a newly planted garden area before and after adding mulch. These rhodies and azaleas are going to love this organic material.

Our dog, Rex, loves the mulch, too. Lots of new smells!