The best mulch nourishes and protects your soil and plantswhile giving your landscaping a fresh look.
Remember these tips as youplant your gardenthroughout the year, especially if youadd new bedsor landscaping.
Best Mulch Benefits
There are some advantages toadding mulch to your garden.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
While an even layer of mulch is ideal,don’t overdo it.
The best depth for a mulch layer is 2-4 inches.
Check on your mulch again when late fall rolls around, and reapply if needed.
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In the winter, a good layer of mulch acts as insulation, helping to regulate the soil temperature.
see to it the groundhas frozen a few timesbefore adding mulch as a protective layer for the winter.
Shredded Bark
Shredded bark is one of the most common and least expensive types of mulch.
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Shredded bark comes from various sources, including cedar, which naturally repels insects with its scent.
It resists wind, making it the bestmulch for slopes, and breaks down relatively slowly.
As a bonus, some shredded bark mulches are byproducts of other industries and are considered environmentally friendly.
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Check the mulch packaging for more information.
Shredded bark can take up some nitrogen from the soil as it decomposes.
Adding someorganic fertilizercan help keep your plants healthy if you have poor soil.
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Straw
Straw mulch has a beautiful golden color that looks great in the garden.
It’s also a bit slower to break down than leaves or grass clippings.
Some gardeners like smaller, shredded straw pieces, while others prefer larger ones.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Pine straw’s interlocking needles allow airflow and reduce moisture evaporation, while a 2-inch layer helps inhibit weeds.
Straw is classically used in more utilitarian gardens, such asvegetable gardensandaround strawberry plants.
Straw does a great job of keeping mud off of your edibles.
see to it the straw is free of weed seeds.
Otherwise, it can cause more weeds than it prevents.
(Oat straw is often particularly weedy.)
Compost
Compost looks like soil, except it’s darker, so it sets off plants nicely.
This mulch material breaks down quickly but adds to your soil structure the most rapidly.
Ensure your compost bin heats up enough to kill anyweed seeds.
Many municipalities give away compost as well.
Before spreading it all over your garden, test compost on a small area to check for weed seeds.
The nuggets are available in various sizes; the bigger the nugget, the longer it lasts.
Bark chip mulch retains moisture and helps keep your garden mud-free.
Stones and River Rock
Rocks tend to be more expensive than organic mulches.
However, it also means they don’t improve your soil over time.
Use stones if you’re planting drought-tolerant plants for succulent,cacti, and rock gardensas well as xeriscaping.
Take caution when using stone as mulch because stones get hot in the sun.
This will help prevent weeds from growing up through the rock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stone is the longest-lasting mulch, followed by landscape fabric.
Cedar or cypress chip or bark mulch contain natural chemicals that helps repel bugs.
If you want to use wood mulch, use heavier wood.
It will hold itself down and after the first rain, will stay put.
However, it needs to be replaced more frequently than stones.
The most expensive mulch options are stone, recycled rubber, and crushed seashells.
Bark and wood chips are generally the most affordable to buy,
“Reflective Mulches.
“University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
