Using mulch around garden plants, trees and shrubs offers many benefits.
Mulch helps protect the plant roots from temperature extremes, retains
soil moisture and discourages weed growth. A proper layer of mulch also
makes the garden more productive and healthier, while reducing the
amount of maintenance required.
Mulches can be organic or
inorganic materials. Leaves, bark, straw, crass clippings, compost and
shredded garden debris are all examples of organic mulches, while
inorganic mulches include stones, plastic chips, recycled tires, pebble
and landscape cloth. Because organic mulches are natural materials, they
break down over time, adding beneficial nutrients to the soil, and they
need replaced more often than inorganic mulches.
Some organic
mulches, like wood shaving and sawdust, can pull nitrogen from the soil
as they break down. When using these mulches, gardeners need to watch
plants for signs of nitrogen deficiency--yellow leaves and weak
plants--and feed plants with a high nitrogen fertilizer as needed.
Gardeners can mulch around plants anytime of the year; however, when
soil has warmed in the spring is the ideal time to apply a layer of
mulch. Applying mulch after rainfall helps the soil retain moisture.
Gardeners can add more organic mulch as the older layer decomposes
during the growing season. No matter when gardeners set out plants,
mulch should always be applied at planting time.
A final layer
of much in fall helps protect perennial plant roots from the coming
winter season. The amount of mulch to spread around plants depends on
the type of mulch used. Mulches made up of small pieces should be spread
in a thinner layer than mulches made up of bulkier materials.
Thinner layers of mulch should be spread over heavy soils, like clay,
while thicker mulch layers are best for sandy soils. As a rule-of-thumb,
a one to four inch layer loose mulch is generally sufficient. Keep in
mind that dark-colored mulches absorb heat and warm the soil, more than
light-colored mulches. Gardeners should not use dark colored mulches
around plants with roots like cool soil.
When placing mulch
around plants, leave space around the stem, trunk or crown of plants.
Placing mulch right up against plants hinders air circulation and can
lead to root, stem or crown rot.
