Spring in suburbia is evident by the large piles of mulch that your neighbors dump in their driveways. While installing mulch seems like 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 try to nurture.
One can’t help but cringe when viewing a ‘volcano’ of mulch installed around a tree. Ideas will discuss the proper methods of installing mulch and the different types of mulch to use (and not to use).
The purpose of mulch is always to conserve moisture and inhibit weed increase planting beds and plants. Mulch is also attractive regulating soil temperatures; soil will stay cooler inside the summer and warmer inside the winter along with a layer of mulch. Organic mulches furthermore improve the soil quality when they start to break down. Mulch has also be a decorative element in many countryside. When installing mulch, follow these basic guidelines for your health of one’s plants:
– Never use more than 3-4″ detailed of compost. When re-mulching, keep general depth under 4″ and consider even 2-3″ as plenty. Collect old mulch if necessary, or at least break inside the old mulch if the rii become matted. Too much mulch is worse than no compost. Excessive mulch may dried the upper root zone of plants and cause plant roots to grow upwards into the mulch.
– Never pile mulch directly against the stem of plants- rather pull the mulch back several inches to make a mulch-free small area around the root. Mulch piled against the stem to a plant trigger rotting, and invites disease and damage from insects.
– Weed barrier under mulch often causes more problems than benefits. The inhibition 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 are also rich in nitrogen and tend to cause excessive growth and in many burning of the plants. These products are best used as a soil amendment in limited quantities. Many tests show these products to contain heavy metals- so which it stays out of the vegetable do some gardening.
There are a variety of types of mulch on offer. Ground up hardwood, bark mulch, and dyed mulches are all popular. Pine bark, Cypress and pine straw are more popular a south. Stone may be used, having said that it is more maintenance actually term with cleaning debris from in between the stones a critical nuisance.
Cheap Georgia Mulch
3000 Trotters Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30004
(770) 637-9147