Mulch can be a gardener’s best friend. It can help to keep roots from overheating, retards weed growth, retains moisture, and it looks great! Plus, in the case of organic mulch, as it breaks down it will actually enrich your soil.

Wood Mulch:

Wood mulch comes in many types, sizes and colors. Regardless of what color or size mulch you choose, all will help inhibit weed growth thereby decreasing competition for water. Any weeds that do start to take root in a well mulched bed should pull out easily. And, the fewer weeds there are, the more water is left available for your desirable plants.

A mulched bed loses only 10% of its moisture to evaporation, compared to over a 66% loss for a “bare bed”.  And, here’s a tip—if you lay down 4-5 sheets of black and white newspaper (wet it first to help keep it in place) and then cover it with a layer of mulch you’ll create a permeable water barrier that will enrich your soil and keep your bed virtually weed-free for up to a year. Along with the newspaper, any mulch made from wood will eventually break down and help enrich your soil.

When you first lay down wood mulch you’ll stimulate the microorganisms in it that help to break it down. This causes the mulch to heat up in the same way that turning a pile of compost does. It is wise to keep the mulch several inches away from small and/or young plants until it’s had a chance to cool down. If you’re buying mulch in bulk form, it is advisable to place it on your driveway until you’re able to move it into the desired location(s). Laying down a tarp first on your driveway makes cleanup a breeze and you won’t risk burning your grass as the mulch cools down.

Inorganic Mulch:

Landscaping stones are considered “inorganic mulch”. They offer the water retention and weed inhibiting characteristics of wood mulch but will not enrich your soil. Landscaping stones are best suited for use in an area that you do not plan on replanting. When it’s practical, landscaping fabric should be put down over the soil before you lay down the stones. The landscaping fabric will help keep the stones from sinking into the ground when it’s wet. Small landscaping stones tend to sink into the soil and move around more easily than larger stones, so if you have a steep grade, a larger stone will work much better.  You’ll pay more up front for landscaping stones than for wood mulch, but if you’re able to keep the stones from migrating, you will not have to replace or “top off” each year as you would with wood mulch so in the long run, they’re more cost efficient.

Color:

Color is often a key factor in determining which mulch to select. Light colored organic mulch reflects heat, which helps keep the soil cooler. Dark organic mulch absorbs heat and doesn’t transfer it to the soil below. And, that can be good because plant roots won’t work as hard when they’re not overheated. However, since dark organic mulch absorbs heat (think “pavement”), and heat rises, you may want to exercise caution if you have a very large bed. With more area to reflect the heat, plants that are heat sensitive, particularly those with larger leaves and those that prefer “part shade”, may fry in these conditions. You can counter this by placing inorganic mulch, such as landscaping stones, or a lighter colored wood mulch around these sensitive plants.

In determining which color mulch to use another factor to consider are the types of plants that you’ll be putting in. For example, if you use bright red mulch and then plant “showy” flowers, people will notice the mulch and not the flowers. On the other hand, if you have taller evergreens, red mulch at their base will create a visual anchor and help provide a sense of balance.

How Much to Apply?

The more compact and less porous a mulch is, the less you’ll need to use of it. Double ground hardwood bark mulch should be applied 2-3” deep. Larger, less compact mulch can be applied an inch or two deeper. If you apply mulch too deeply you can actually suffocate a plant by not allowing an adequate gas exchange between the soil and the air.

When using landscaping stones you’ll want to ensure that you have adequate coverage so that you don’t see the landscaping fabric or ground beneath it. To do this, take the average size of the stone and multiply that number by 1.5 for minimum coverage on small stones or by 2 for larger stones.

Bagged versus Bulk Mulch:

Bagged mulch is available at countless locations throughout the area. It is easy to transport and works well if you only need a small amount. However, if you have a large area to cover it can be quite costly. Bulk mulch, which is often sold by the cubic yard, can cost less than half as much as bagged mulch. A recent ad for a local do-it-yourself center featured a 2 cubic foot bag of red or black color enhanced Scotts Nature Scapes® wood mulch for $4.97 a bag. Since it takes 13.5 of the 2 cubic foot bags (or 9 of the 3 cubic foot bags) to equal one cubic yard of mulch, a $4.97 bag equates to $67.10 per cubic yard. For comparison purposes, Black Gold, sells one cubic yard of color-enhanced mulch for $34. That’s a savings of $33.10 per cubic yard. Since wood mulch is relatively safe to load and is lightweight, it can be easily transported in pickup trucks and utility trailers. If you need more than a couple of yards or don’t have access to a pickup truck, Black Gold offers delivery for an additional fee. Depending on how much mulch you need, the amount that you save buying the mulch in bulk form rather than by the bag can be more than enough to pay for the delivery service. If you’re buying inorganic mulch such as landscaping stones, bear in mind that they can be quite heavy (reducing the amount, you can carry in a pickup truck or utility trailer) and they can bounce when they’re being loaded onto your truck, which could damage your paint or windows. For this reason, delivery is often a safer and more cost-effective option.

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