Early Spring Mulching: The 7 Mistakes To Watch For.

We all love mulch and how it makes commercial landscape properties look, but the real reason we apply mulch is less about aesthetics and much more about plant health. Properly mulching your landscape is a relatively inexpensive task that helps moderate soil temperatures, retain ground moisture, add nutrients and organic material to your beds, and suppress weed growth. Mulch is wonderful, but here are seven mistakes to watch out for this spring.

1. Not Applying Enough Mulch: - To enjoy the benefits of mulching, strive for a 3" total layer of mulch.
2. Applying To Mulch Mulch: - Excess mulch around a tree trunk can lead to bark decay, fungus, disease, improper root growth, and root suffocation.
3. Not Mulching Yearly: - Consistency is key; a new layer of mulch each year will maximize the beneficial elements of mulch.
4. Poor Bed Preparation: - Mulching over weeds and debris may seem to be an easy fix, but the signs of laziness will soon show. Do the job right the first time. Remember, non-selective weed controls do not work in cold temperatures, so when spraying weeds, instead of manually removing them, check your temps. Don't waste time and money and bombard the environment with harsh chemicals unnecessarily by straying these harsh chemicals outside of their window of effectiveness.
5. Using The Wrong Type Of Mulch: Mulch breaks down over time. Make sure the type of mulch you are using will break down into materials that will help your existing plant material.
6. Allowing Mulch Build Up At The Base Of Trees and Plants: - Mulch left against the bark of a plant can have disastrous consequences. Too much mulch along the base can allow moisture to collect and encourage collar rot.
7. Spores Alive: Occasionally, mulch comes complete with unwanted fungal spores. This is unavoidable, so occasionally, you will see Bird’s nest fungi and Artillery fungi may grow in mulch. If these issues arise, they can usually be combated by decreasing irrigation and raking out the affected areas.

Mulching makes your landscape stand out AND helps protect and strengthen your landscape. It is a win-win and should be done every year. Don't wait, have SBC Outdoor Services out to your property for a no-risk, free landscape evaluation.

Call Now: Art Ditzel 484-587-6417