Mulching is one the most important ways to maintain healthy landscaped plants. Mulch is any material applied to the soil and surface for protection or improvement of the area covered.

Mulching has many benefits to your landscaping efforts. When applied correctly mulch has the following effects on plants and soils. Mulches prevent loss of water from the soil by evaporation. Mulches reduce the growth of weds ? when the soil material itself is weed free, and applied directly enough to prevent weed germination or to smother existing weeds. Mulches also help your lawn and landscaping not only in the spring and fall but also during the summer time by keeping the soil cooler during the summer period. In the winter mulches serve to insulate the soil and keep it warmer preventing winter frost damage. During summer lawn maintenance mulches are more than a good idea as they protect the trunks of trees and shrubs from physical damage by lawn equipment. All in all mulches are a good idea. Mulched plants have more roots than plants that are not mulched. Mulched plants produce additional roots in the mulch that surrounds them. Mulching all in all is good for your lawn and landscaping ? whether it be at home or at the cottage.

The best time to mulch new plantings is right after you plant them. Around established plants mulch is best applied in early spring. This is when plants are beginning to grow and before summer weeds have a chance to germinate.

How often mulch needs to be replenished depends on the mulching material itself. Grass clippings and leaves decompose very fast and need to be replenished frequently. Inorganic mulches such as gravel and pebbles rarely need replenishing/ As the plants grow and fill in bed area; less and less mulch will be needed.

The amount of mulch to apply depends on the texture and density of the mulch material. Many 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.

Coarse textured mulches such as pine bark nuggets allow good air movement through them and can be as deep as 4 inches. Mulches composed of grass clippings or shredded leaves should never be deeper than 2 inches as these materials tend to mat together restricting the water and air supply to plant roots.

Mulching is a practice associated in most amateur gardeners and landscapers as an activity associated with the fall and leaves. Mulching a is a wise practice for your yard, property and garden and trees and general landscaping whether it be at your home, lake cottage or beach chalet. Mulch, mulch, mulch spring, summer and fall.