The Many Benefits of Mulch

One of the biggest mistakes gardeners make when looking to cut costs is to skip mulching. Many have the misconception that mulch is purely decorative. Huge mistake!

Sure, mulch looks great, and it can be the perfect finishing touch to a landscape. But there’s more to it than that.

Picture the floor of a healthy, thriving forest. The soil is covered in a natural top layer of fallen leaves, pine needles, flower petals, and bark. This layer insulates the soil and roots. As the organic matter slowly decomposes, it infuses the soil with nutrition. When we plan out our own green spaces, we serve the same functions by mulching.

Mulching will save you water

Utah is the 2nd driest state in the US, but we’re one of the biggest consumers of water. We need to learn to conserve water in our landscaping. One of the easiest ways you can do this is by simply adding a layer of mulch in key places. Mulch insulates the soil (in hot AND cold weather) and can reduce soil evaporation by 25-50% This means less time, money, and fuss spent on watering, especially during the summertime!

Mulch adds nutrition to your soil

A protective layer of mulch will keep nutrients in your soil from being washed away in the rain. In addition, as mulch deteriorates, its organic matter breaks down, contributing new nutrients to the existing soil.

Mulch also prevents soil impaction, which is when the topsoil crusts and hardens, preventing optimal absorption of water and nutrients.

Mulch controls weeds and pests

Mulch slows down weed growth by blocking the sun’s access to the soil underneath, and keeping errant, windborne seeds from resting in the soil. In addition, certain kinds of mulch can act as insect repellent, which will discourage harmful pests from setting up shop in your garden. Talk with us about which kinds of mulch will work best for your needs.

Some basics about mulch:

There are a lot of different ways to mulch your yard. Some people use grass clippings or fallen leaves. We offer a range of excellent natural bark mulches, both decorative and functional.

When we help you select your mulch, we’ll instruct you on how often you need to re-mulch, and how thick a layer you should use to cover your soil.

Mulch is a vital component for bordering trees, topping newly-planted gardens, and adding stability and aesthetics to border features.

Come visit us for all your gardening and landscaping projects. We have the materials you need, available in bulk, along with professional know-how and regular classes to help you make your dream yard a reality.