The Best Mulch for Your Yard
Installing mulch in your flower beds is a great gardening habit to get into. Mulch suppresses weed growth, helps soil retain moisture and keeps soil cool in hot weather. In colder climates mulch protects plant roots from the cold and helps prevent frost-heaving, whereby plants are pushed out of the ground due to the natural expansion and contraction of the soil as it heats and cools. But what kind of mulch is best for your yard?
Below is a summary of different mulches available. Some are free, right in your own backyard. Some you can purchase locally. Each has their own pros and cons. Experiment to find out what you and your plants like best.
Grass Clippings
Grass clippings are cheap (free!), readily available and easy to apply. Grass clipping do decay quickly, so you’ll need to reapply often. You may want to avoid using grass clipping if you use weed killers on your lawn as this can adversely affect the other plants of your garden. Only apply an inch or less at a time to avoid the clippings from becoming slimy.
Wood or Bark Chips
Wood chips are a very attractive mulch to add to your garden, and it is slow to decay. If you apply pine bark mulch, be aware that is if fairly acidic and should only be applied around plants that prefer an acid soil such as azaleas.
Dead Leaves
Decaying leaves are great for suppressing weeds, and they help your soil retain moisture. However, decaying leaves aren’t as attractive as other mulches, and if they contain seeds they can germinate and cause weed problems.
Compost
Compost is free and plentiful if you maintain your own compost pile. Compost also adds beneficial nutrients to your garden soil, although it can be a good place for weeds to take hold.
Peat Moss
Peat Moss is a very versatile mulch and looks neat and tidy. It also functions as a soil amendment, adding beneficial nutrients to your garden. However, it can be expensive and can become crusty over time.
Straw and Hay
Straw is very economical and easy to apply. Straw is also lightweight, so it has a tendency to blow away, and isn’t particularly attractive around ornamental plants.
Gravel, Pebbles or Stone
Stones have a nice, neat look and are easy to apply. They won’t wash away and will last a long time. They won’t need to be replenished over the course of a season. But they can allow weeds to sneak up through the cracks and don’t provide any benefit to your soil’s nutrients.
Garden Plastic or Landscaping Fabric
These materials keep weeds at bay and hold in moisture and warmth. However, you will need to cut holes in them for feeding and watering, and they are difficult to apply unless you are doing a whole area at one time.
Rubber Mulch
Rubber mulch won’t harbor garden pests and doesn’t wash away. However, it can be expensive and could potentially release contaminants into the soil as it breaks down.
As you can see, there are a wide variety of mulches available for your garden. By understanding the pros and cons of each, you’ll be able to choose the mulch that best suits your needs.
Mike McCann, a Philadelphia real estate agent says, “Buyers prefer homes that have a well planned front yard with professional landscaping. A manicured look to the front garden is essential.”
For more information call Colleen Kulikowski
(716) 650-0051
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All Statistics are gathered from the Buffalo Niagara Association of REALTORS®.
Properties found on this Web site may be listed with a brokerage other than the owner of this site and are displayed here via the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) system of this broker’s MLS. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing nor displaying broker shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints, and shall be held totally harmless. © 2012 Western New York Real Estate Information Services (WNYREIS), LLC. All rights reserved.
