The Best Time To Start Mulching

Every year landscapers, homeowners, and property managers alike search for the next landscape enhancement to add to their property. In a time when the best-looking landscape grabs the most attention, many property owners just want to stay competitive. One of our favorite landscape enhancements that are often overlooked, is mulch. Seen as a staple in most properties, mulch is the undisputed champion of landscape supplies. Mulch can be found atop plant beds, on playgrounds, and even surrounding trees. This is due to the many benefits that mulch provides, both functionally and visually. In this blog, we will address everything you need to know about mulch, finishing off with the best time to start mulching. Just a hint, it may be sometime soon!

 

Mulch: What is it?

Assuming a complete lack of familiarity with mulch, we want to make sure even our most beginner readers understand what we are talking about. Mulch is ground cover for plant beds and other landscaping areas. Usually made out of wood chips or bark, there are many other varieties including pine needles, straw, and hay. Different inorganic varieties made up of rock are used as well. We generally recommend organic varieties, specifically the most commonly used wood chips or bark. These offer the most functional benefits, and low maintenance care, which we will discuss next.

Organic Mulch: The Benefits

Before we address anything else mulch-related, you need to know why mulch is a necessary addition or refresh in your landscape. Mulch is typically organic, however, there are the aforementioned decorative rock varieties that provide a similar use case. Focusing on the commonly used organic variety, mulch lays atop your plant beds, preventing soil compaction, weed growth, and as it degrades, adds nutrients to your soil. Additionally, mulch laying atop your soil retains much-needed moisture, especially during the summertime when temperatures are as high as they get. On top of that, mulch simply looks great. It adds an extra layer of aesthetic to your landscape and makes for a more complete feel. Any landscape that you see on television or in the media is inevitably going to utilize mulch in various places across the property.

Mulch Installation: Amount and Timing

As you likely could have guessed, the best time to mulch is coming right around the corner, hence this blog. Spring is the best time to add mulch or replace your mulch if it is one to two years old. Adding mulch right before the summer maximizes the benefits, as it assists in the initial growth process from spring to summer. Mulching in the fall can also be good, protecting soil and roots from oncoming freezes as temperature drops. Typically, a layer of mulch should be around two to three inches thick atop your plant beds. Keep in mind that you do not want to cover new plants with mulch, nor put mulch too close to the base of a tree. One of the most low maintenance and cost-effective landscaping enhancements, with some of the best benefits, mulching should be considered for any property, commercial or residential.

 

Your landscaping is the first thing noticed by your visitors, friends, and customers. Let OakLawn Landscaping ensure that your first impressions are top notch and have your guests in awe before they even reach the door. For more questions on time to start mulching visit our website, or contact us today at (301) 854-0684 for any of your landscaping needs, commercial or residential.