Mulch serves many useful purposes in the landscaping world. It is pleasing to look at and it can also offer several benefits to growing plants. It not only conserves moisture but it can also control weeds and add nutrients to the soil. Its benefits are useful through all 4 seasons because it keeps roots cool in warmer weather and insulates them in colder weather. If you know how to spread mulch correctly, it can be a very valuable lawn and landscape item. Mulch comes in a variety of materials and colors to choose from. Valley Green is an experienced mulch seller and we will be offering you some tips on how to spread mulch correctly.
The first thing you want to do when you’re putting down mulch is to make sure you completely clear your beds of the old mulch. Older mulch has a tendency to fade and break down as time goes by. New mulch not only looks better but it is better at protecting plant roots because it has not started to break down. If you don’t feel like doing a complete mulch change out, a simple fluff with a rake might be enough to refresh it.
When spreading mulch, you’ll want to make sure it is at least 2 inches deep. If you don’t make the mulch deep enough, you won’t get enough protection from weeds. On the other hand, more than three inches is too much. When mulch is too deep, it can actually run the risk of preventing water from getting to the soil.
When placing the mulch near the base of plants, you’ll want to actually keep it from touching the base of the plants. This is also true for trees. If the mulch is piled too close to the base or trunk, it can leave the plant or tree susceptible to pests, disease, and rot. Air must be able to circulate around the stem to prevent these problems. The best tool to do this is your hands so you can easily keep the space between the mulch and plant perfectly spaced.
When learning how to spread mulch correctly, you’ll want to start by doing prep work before spreading the mulch. You’ll want to start with weeding first. You should only have to remove the larger more established weeds. Smaller weeds will actually be smothered by the mulch so you don’t have to worry about removing them. Use gloves to spread the mulch evenly around plants. You can use a rake to spread the mulch in larger areas. After the spreading is done, you’ll want water your beds to moisten the mulch. This will keep the mulch from blowing around if it is still dry. The water will also help smother any small weeds.
You can view our selection of mulch on our products page.