Mulch is organic or inorganic material that is spread across the ground to improve the look of your garden. Did you know that mulch also serves a practical purpose? There are actually several benefits to mulching, beyond aesthetics.
› Reducing weeds
› Retaining heat and protecting plants from frost
› Increasing water retention
› Reducing soil erosion
› Providing nutrients to plants
What kind of mulch is best?
There are numerous mulch options depending on the look you’re going for and the primary purpose for the mulch.
Organic mulch - such as wood chips, compost, straw, or leaves - will provide additional nutrients to your plants as they decompose.
Inorganic mulch - such as fabric, rocks, or plastic - will not add nutrients to the soul, but it is likely to last longer.
Grass clippings and compost are affordable options for mulch, but they won’t give your yard the same sharp look as shredded or chipped wood.
Rocks and even seashells can be used for plants that need good drainage, though some neighborhoods and HOA’s do not permit rocks to be used in front yards. Check your local regulations before purchasing anything to ensure your landscaping will be compliant.
Get the most from your mulch
How you apply mulch matters.
Mulching is not necessarily difficult, but it’s not as simple as throwing some wood chips on the ground. It requires pre-work, precision, timing, and labor. If each step is not taken in the proper order, your mulch will be ineffective or, even worse, harmful to your plants. It makes sense to hire a professional who is experienced with laying mulch instead of throwing away money on mulch that isn’t applied well.
Casey’s Lawn Care can help you to select the right mulch and carefully spread it around your trees and flower beds. We know how long to wait to add the mulch in order to give new seeds time to germinate. When the time is right, we begin by pulling weeds from the area to be mulched. For trees, we measure and mark the tree’s drip line to determine how far out the mulch should extend.
Once the area has been prepared, we carefully spread the mulch. We take extra care not to spread mulch too close to plant and tree stems, as this can cause permanent damage. We also measure the depth of the mulch to ensure that it’s not so thick that it suppresses good plants from growing or too thin to prevent weeds or erosion.
Throughout the process, we work to confine the mulch to the areas it is needed. Mulch that is scattered around your yard can lead to dead patches of grass and attract unwanted insects and snails. Colored mulch can even leave stains on siding and concrete.
Give your back a break.
How many times have you put off mulching your yard because of the time and labor it requires? When you have mulched, how frustrated did you get hauling the materials home and across your yard? We want to alleviate the pain of spending a whole day - or more! - kneeling on wood chips, bending at odd angles, carrying heavy bags, and fishing out splinters.
There’s one quick and easy way to skip the hassle and still mulch your yard:
Call Casey’s Lawn Care.