Mulch is more than a decorative spread of oversized wood chips. This organic material acts as a protective force against weeds and other harmful garden intruders. Made up of everything from bark, wood chips, pine needles, straw, cocoa bean shells, pebbles, river rock, black plastic and even recycled tires, mulch has more advantages than you could EVER imagine.

Let’s get down to the dirt. I mean mulch.

1. Prevent soil erosion: You’ll sleep soundly through the next thunderstorm knowing that the rain water won’t be washing away your soil. By breaking the fall of the water, the mulch absorbs the impact and lessens the force of the water on the soil below.
2. Maintains nutrients: Yes. Believe it! If you use organic mulch it will release nutrients into the soil as it slowly decomposes.
3. Controls weeds: It’s well known amongst the plants. Weeds and mulch do not get along. Mulch acts as a physical barrier and also helps to limit the amount of sunlight the weeds are exposed to.
4. Retains moisture: Organic mulches absorb water, and any type of mulch will help the soil below it retain moisture, especially during hot or dry spells.
5. Controls pests: Bugs get pretty picky when it comes to mulch. Certain types of mulch, like cedar bark will deter pests. Do some research to find out how mulch might help you with your pest problem.
6. Aesthetic appeal: Tidy up the look of any garden or landscape design with mulch. River rock beds or organic bark have an especially rustic, natural feel that can warm up and organize any yard space.

Here are a couple tips for making your mulch as effective as possible:

1. Edge landscape beds before adding mulch.
2. Clean out garden beds of any debris and trim trees and bushes.
3. Applying a pre-emergent will help to prevent any weeds popping up from beneath your mulch.
4. Avoid piling mulch against trunks or stems which can lead to insect and disease issues. Generally, 2-4 inches of mulch is recommended.
5. Avoid compacted mulch that will dry out your garden bed. Once a month check to make sure your mulch is loose and moveable. Run through it with a rake if it is compacted.
6. Remove any fungus-infected moss immediately!

There you have it! NeighborScape offers a huge variety of softscaping services, from plants, flowers to soil and mulch installation, we’ve got your garden covered. Ready to mulch-ify your outdoor space? Check out our softscaping packages here.