Mulch – The Right Method to Finish The Masterpiece
Spring in suburbia is evident via the large piles of mulch that your friends dump in their driveways. While installing mulch seems like a simple process, many homeowners use so much mulch on their landscape beds that they create an environment that is detrimental to the health of the plants which they are trying to nurture.
One can’t help but cringe when viewing a ‘volcano’ of mulch installed around a tree. Here we will discuss correct methods of installing mulch and the various types of mulch to use (and not to use).
The purpose of mulch end up being to conserve moisture and inhibit weed development in planting beds and . Mulch is also beneficial in regulating soil temperatures; soil will stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter having a layer of mulch. Organic mulches may improve dirt quality when they start to break to the floor. Mulch has also become a decorative factor in many landscaping. When installing mulch, follow these basic guidelines for the health of one’s plants:
– Never use more than 3-4″ full of mulch. When re-mulching, keep the overall depth under 4″ and consider even 2-3″ as plenty. Gather old mulch if necessary, or minimally break inside the old mulch if more affordable become matted. Too much mulch is worse than no thick mulch. Excessive mulch may do dry out the upper root zone of plants and cause plant roots to grow upwards in the mulch.
– Never pile mulch directly with the stem of plants- rather pull the mulch back several inches to make a mulch-free area around the root. Mulch piled against the stem of a plant can cause rotting, and invites disease and damage from insects.
– Weed barrier under mulch often causes more problems than benefits. The inhibition of water and oxygen are two major concerns. Also, weeds will eventually root in the mulch and into the weed barrier, causing big problems once the weeds are pulled.
– Be cautious when using processed sewage sludge (Earthlife, Earthmate). While these generally the darkest of mulches, they will also rich in nitrogen which enables it to cause excessive growth and even burning of your plants. The products are best used for a soil amendment in limited quantities. Many tests show these products to contain heavy metals- so keeping it out of your vegetable gardener.
There are a variety of types of mulch to select from. Ground up hardwood, bark mulch, and dyed mulches are all popular. Pine bark, Cypress and pine straw tend to be more popular in the south. Stone may also be used, it also is more maintenance in the long term with cleaning debris from involving the stones an additional nuisance.
Cheap Georgia Mulch
3000 Trotters Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30004
(770) 637-9147
