Mulch

1. With a measuring tape or wheel, measure how many feet long the bed is. Then measure how many feet wide. Multiply these two figures. The total is the square foot area of that landscape bed. If your flower beds curve like in the example, measure to the widest part. Having extra mulch is okay since the ground is unlevel some mulched areas will have 2” of mulch and others can be thinner or thicker.
2. Decide how thick you want your mulch to be. 2" is average. If you are top dressing a previously mulched bed, you may wish to use as little as 1" of mulch. Once you have the measurements of the areas you want to be mulched, use our mulch calculator to determine how much material you will need. We always like to allow for a little extra since it never goes down at a perfect thickness.

• Kill weeds - Remove all weeds or unwanted growth. You can also spray weeds with an herbicide like Roundup one to two weeks before mulching. Dead weeds are easier to pull.
• Trim trees and bushes - It is best to trim trees and bushes before mulching because picking up trimmings out of your new mulch is time-consuming and difficult to get all the clippings out.
• Clean out your beds - Clean out all dead leaves, weeds, and trimmings with a rake.
• Cultivate - After your beds have been cleaned, cultivate any compacted soil or old mulch. A roto-tiller or hand cultivator will do the job. Cultivating will allow moisture and air to pass through the soil easier.
• Edge your beds - A clean edge enhances your landscape and gives it a professional look. It also helps to keep the mulch where you want it and not scattered all over the lawn. An edging shovel or power edger can be used to create your edge. Using a garden hose as a guide helps you create nice flowing curves.
• Rake smooth - Using a stiff rake smooth out all the surfaces to be mulched. Otherwise, your mulched beds will look lumpy.
• Apply a pre-emergent - Apply a pre-emergent, such as Preen, to prevent germination of weed seeds. A second application, after the mulch has been installed, can add protection from weed seeds that may germinate into the mulch.
• Address fungus - If fungus is present, remove it and the surrounding mulch. Rake existing mulch to cover the area, and then water thoroughly. Fungus is a sure sign that your mulch compacted and your beds have dehydrated. Cultivation and watering will be necessary.

If you need any help getting your flower beds or garden areas prepared for new mulch we are happy to help, ask about our cleanup service.

When applied correctly, mulch has the following beneficial effects on plants and soil:

1. Prevent loss of water from the soil by evaporation.
2. Reduce the growth of weeds, when applied deeply enough to prevent weed germination or to smother existing weeds.
3. Keep the soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, thus maintaining a more even soil temperature.
4. Prevent soil splashing, which not only stops erosion but keeps soil-borne diseases from splashing up onto the plants.
5. Organic mulches can improve soil structure. As the mulch decays, the material becomes topsoil. Decaying mulch also adds carbon and nutrients to the soil.
6. Prevent crusting of the soil surface, thus improving the absorption and movement of water into the soil.
7. Prevent the trunks of trees and shrubs from damage by lawn equipment.
8. Help prevent soil compaction.
9. Adds to the beauty of the landscape by providing a cover of uniform color and interesting texture to the surface.
10. Mulched plants have more roots than plants that are not mulched because mulched plants will produce additional roots in the mulch that surrounds them.

The amount of mulch to apply depends on the texture and density of the mulch material. Many of our wood and bark mulches are composed of fine particles and should not be more than 2 to 3 inches deep. Excessive amounts of these fine-textured mulches can suffocate plant roots, resulting in yellowing of the leaves and poor growth.

Compost or mulches composed of grass clippings or shredded leaves like our fine mulch should never be deeper than 2 inches, because these materials tend to mat together, restricting the water and air supply to plant roots.

2-3 inches of mulch should be plenty to cut down on weed growth. Mulch applied at thicknesses greater than 3 inches may also provide cover for chewing rodents such as mice and meadow voles. These rodents live under the warm mulch in the winter and chew on the nutritious inner bark.

Warning: Whenever you mulch anything, be super careful to leave some space around the plant crown, or tree base. If you pile any mulch up against the crown, you will rot the plant out, and it will die.

So leave a 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of breathing room near the stem or base of the plant, and you'll be just fine.

You can apply mulch whenever the soil is bare. Mulch suppresses weeds, protects from scorching temperatures and the break down of mulch helps amend the soil.

You will have to freshen up your mulch from time to time. Small mulch particles break down quickly in hot or wet weather. Dyed or colored mulch will fade with time, and you may need to add a new thin layer of mulch more than once in the growing season to maintain a functional and aesthetic layer.

While it can be called by several names, it is not necessary to install before mulching. Applying weed barrier before applying mulch will help prevent weeds from growing up from underneath the mulch. However, this will only help for so long until the mulch breaks down and soil and weed seeds are deposited on top of the weed barrier from the wind.

Our mulches are not treated with any chemicals. Our dyed mulches contain wood and are colored with a non-toxic dye similar to high-intensity food coloring.

Yes, the price we quote you for your mulch includes pick up, delivery, and installation.