Mulch can be an extremely effective tool for keeping your landscaping looking beautiful and healthy. Yet, it is common for individuals to under-utilize mulch in their landscaping, but learning more about this will help you to avoid making these mistakes.

How Does The Use Of Mulch Help Your Landscaping?

When you apply a layer of mulch around the base of your plants, you will be providing it with protection against a variety of problems. For example, mulch can make it extremely difficult for weeds to germinate and start growing. Mulch can also help to restore nutrients to the soil as it decomposes, and it can also prevent the plants from drying out by trapping moisture against the roots.

Will Mulch Attract Pests?

While the mulch itself will not contribute to worse insect problems, there are many pests that can be attracted to the moist area that the layer of mulch will help to create. Most of these pests will be benign. However, this will be highly plant specific, and you will want to continue to monitor your plant for signs of pests problems. In the event that you discover your plant is suffering from these issues, it is important to make sure that you treat the mulch as well as the rest of the plant.

Does The Type Of Mulch You Use Matter?

For most situations, there is little difference in the specific type of mulch that you use. However, you may want to avoid using mulches that have been enriched with fertilizers or other nutrients. This is due to the fact that this can make it harder for you to regulate the nutrient intake of your plants in the future as it will be impossible to predict the rate at which these nutrients will be released into the soil. Rather, you will want to prefer the use of a mulch service that provides all-natural mulch.

When Should You Replenish Your Mulch?

The mulch that you place around your plants will deteriorate over time, and this will result in it needing to be replaced or replenished. Ideally, you should do this at the start of each growing season as this will be when the plants can benefit the most from the moisture that a layer of mulch can trap. When supplementing the mulch, you will want to be sure to avoid adding too much as this could be unsightly and contribute to health issues for the plant. If necessary, you should remove the top layer of the old mulch before applying more.