Planning for an Outdoor Wedding

Mulch is one of the most commonly used landscaping accessories and tools. While mulch can help your landscaping in a number of ways, you may not be taking full advantage of it. If you have only recently become a property owner with a yard, it is extremely likely that you may not have any recent experience with using mulch. Taking the time to research mulch and its use can help you use it most effectively.

Does Mulch Only Work To Retain Moisture?

Assuming that mulch is only used to retain moisture is a common mistake. While this is easily the primary purpose of using mulch, it can also provide some other benefits that are worth considering. For example, the mulch can act to physically hold the soil in place so that erosion will be much less of a serious concern. Mulch can also serve to help to enhance the nutrients in the soil as these materials will be released back into the soil near your plants so that they can again be absorbed by the roots of the plant.   

Can Mulch Be Used To Accentuate Your Landscaping's Appearance?

Mulch is useful when there are sections of your property that may be taking away from your overall landscaping. For example, some homeowners may find that they simply have some areas of their property where plants will not easily grow. Using mulch to fill and hide these areas can protect the neighboring plants by stopping erosion and weeds. When homeowners are extremely specific about the appearance of their landscaping, it is possible to opt for wood mulch in a specific color. This is mulch that has been made so that it will naturally have a range of colors, such as chocolate brown mulch.

What Happens If The Mulch Gets Too Close To The Stem Of The Plant?

When placing mulch around the plants, several inches of space will have to be left between the mulch and the stem. Otherwise, the moisture that is being retained by the mulch can actually rot the stem of the plant, which could then cause the plant to die. There are separators that can be put around the stem or trunk of the plant so that the mulch will not be able to come into close enough contact to cause damage. If the plant has extremely low branches, they may need to be trimmed if they will come into contact with the mulch, or they could experience rot or other problems as well.