So Mulch Fun: The Scoop on Your Yard’s MVP
For many people, mulch probably doesn’t seem that exciting, even though you recognize that it offers countless benefits. But, you may not know all the surprising facts about this lawn superhero.
At Gaston Mulch and Soil, we’re all about providing the highest quality mulch and soil, and contributing to a greener, better process. Read on to learn more about what makes mulch one of the best investments you can make for your landscape.
Mulch Ado About…Mulch
Have we mentioned how great mulch is? Let’s put it this way — if mulch were in elementary school, it would get picked first for kickball. That may sound dramatic, but it truly makes a huge difference in the health of your trees and plants.
Improves Playground Safety
Children who fall from playground equipment risk getting hurt, but adding a 6-12 inch mulch layer helps absorb shock from falls and helps prevent injury. Mulch is the most recommended playground ground cover due to its effectiveness.
Suits Various Needs
Mulch is either organic or inorganic. Organic mulch is created from plant materials like pine needles or wood, while inorganic is made from non-living materials such as rubber or rock. The type of mulch you use depends on where you’re using it and the look you’re going for with your yard’s aesthetic.
Retains Water
Mulch also improves how well your soil retains moisture, preventing plant roots from drying out and dying, particularly during our hotter months in Florida. Properly moisturized soil may also require less frequent watering.
Prevents Weeds
Fighting weed growth is one of the most frustrating challenges of landscape and garden maintenance. Because weeds need warmth and light to grow, a mulch barrier prevents weeds from sprouting and spreading.
Controls Pests
Mulch can’t prevent your in-laws from coming over, but it can repel pests of the yard variety. Mulches such as cedar and cypress contain oils that pests find unattractive as it also reconditions the soil to be encouraging to the beneficial kinds of fungi and insects.
Enhances Aesthetics
Mulch, incredibly when fresh, makes your landscaping appear polished and clean, adding appealing texture and colors. Mulch comes in wide varieties to suit your yard’s style and enhance your landscape’s plants and unique features.
Follow These Mulching Best Practices
Now that you know more about what makes mulch so great, here are some simple installation tips to help your mulch work for you.
Say No to Volcanoes
Mulching in a volcano pattern does more harm than good. Putting too much mulch at the base of a tree limits the amount of oxygen the tree roots receive, eventually leading to root rot. Ideally, mulch is placed over the tree’s roots allowing for space between the tree trunk and the mulch.
If It’s Dry, You Can Apply
Other than not putting down mulch when it’s raining, mulch can be applied year-round. Especially here in Florida, mulch can be applied in any season to help regulate the ground temperature and protect your plant’s roots.
Don’t Get Too Deep
When you choose to add mulch to your landscape, select one of our high-quality products and use our convenience mulch calculator to find out how much you need for your project. Then, you’ll want to edge around where you plan to place the mulch. If you’re refreshing existing mulch, you’ll need to remove the top layer and turn over the old mulch to aerate it and allow nutrients to be distributed. Then you can smooth over the area with a rake. Next, you can apply the mulch using your hands or a shovel, keeping the mulch layer only 2-3 inches deep.
Get to Know Gaston Mulch
When you need the best mulch around to complete your project, think Gaston Mulch and Soil. We offer a wide variety of quality, all-natural mulch we create from tree debris to fit every customer’s needs and contribute to a greener process. Our mulch is beautiful and functional, perfect for the health and vitality of your Florida trees and plants. We offer local delivery at a predetermined rate and delivery to areas outside our delivery zone through custom pricing. And, if you would instead pick up your mulch yourself, we’ll help you load it up into your vehicle for free. Contact us today to make your yard happy through amazing, invaluable mulch.