As the clock begins ticking for the worst of winter weather to begin winding down, many homeowners start eyeing their lawns longingly. It won’t be long before those bedraggled flower beds will be filled with the bright colors of spring flowers. Although colorful plantings and lush greenery capture most of our attention, don’t forget about the foundation of a healthier, more trouble-free garden: mulch. Rather than lug bag after heavy bag from store to car then from car to garden, schedule a convenient mulch delivery. But, before you pick up the phone, you need to decide which kind of mulch is best for your landscaping and how much you are going to need.
Why Mulch:
Mulch is a must-have garden media if you want to engage in the best gardening and landscaping practices. Regardless of the particular variety of mulch used, all mulches have similar purposes that they serve:
- Makes gardening easier by minimizing weed growth. Weed growth can practically be eliminated if a deep enough application of mulch is used that prevents weed germination altogether.
- Conserves water usage by preventing evaporation around plantings.
- Decomposes and breaks down over time which contributes nutrients to the soil, enriching flower beds and landscape areas, resulting in healthier plants.
Double Shredded Hardwood:
This particular type of mulch is growing in popularity. That may be due to the variety of natural shades of brown that are available allowing every homeowner to find a suitable hue to complement their home’s color of brick, patio paving stones, shrubbery or whatever is the focal feature of their lawn and garden. But is this particular type of mulch more than just a pretty face? Is there more to appreciate than just a lovely shade of brown? The process of double shredding creates a mulch that is more uniform in shape and size so it stays put better. Rather than deal with pesky mulch strays needing to be tidied up, once the mulch is installed it stays where it’s supposed to be.
Color-Enhanced:
For lovers of color, or those who simply demand color-coordination, hardwood mulch can be color-enhanced with environmentally-friendly dyes. The dyes used are of such quality that mulch will retain its color vibrancy throughout the entire season. If you really want your flowerbeds to pop with colorized texture, select the appropriate hue of compliment or contrast: blond, red, black or brown.
Leaf Mulch:
Avid garden hobbyists who carefully cultivate landscape features organically in order to protect the biodiversity of nature, may also prefer the use of beneficial insects. There is a mulch for that! Spreading out leaf mulch is like laying out the welcome mat for earthworms. A flower bed rich in earthworm colonies is like having live-in fertilizers and oxygenators in your landscaping! Put nature to work with leaf mulch and effortlessly improve the health of your garden!
Playground Carpet:
If it’s common that young children or pets are traipsing through the garden, this is the perfect mulch for tender paws, knees and elbows. Finely shredded, it is gentle enough underfoot to use around playsets. Feature in the landing area at the base of slides or under swings where puddles often form if left untreated. The light, sandy color is a natural yet striking contrast to the surrounding greenness of the lawn. This color contrast helps define a designated play area which can help children identify their play area’s boundaries.
Playground Wood Chips:
For large gardens which may feature natural paths or a grove of trees that lacks grassy undergrowth, lay down this sturdy, rugged mulch to improve surface texture, prevent erosion, and enrich the underlying soil as the mulch slowly degrades. Even after a long, rainy day, a stroll through your favorite wooded area will not become a soggy, muddy mess. Instead it remains a pleasure as you trod above the bog on a layer of wood chips.
Cedar:
Do you love the tingly aroma of cedar? Do you detest insects? You can get what you love and avoid what you despise with this type of mulch. Some of the top spots for cedar mulch are:
- Patio Areas: While relaxing on the patio, cedar mulch helps redirect pesky insects making snacking and lounging a more pleasant experience.
- Pet Areas: Kennels, dog houses and dog runs are prime attractions for all sorts of pests. Keep Fido more comfortable and hygienic with a layer of cedar where he hangs out and naps in the great outdoors.
- Storage Areas: Garden sheds and auxiliary storage buildings are popular places for pests to hide, living long, comfortable, sheltered lives among boxes and bins that are rarely delved into. Avoid spider surprises during seasonal digs in storage areas with a healthy dose of cedar mulch around the perimeters of outdoor auxiliary buildings and add a splash of floral color! Not only will you be creating a safer space but also beautifying what might otherwise have been an outdoor eyesore.
How Much?
Getting a mulch delivery is a great time saver as well as an amazing back-strain saver. When browsing the many options in mulch, it’s common to see mulch measured in cubic yards. The average homeowner may ask, “What does that mean? How much is that? How much do I need?” The good news is that you don’t need to be a trigonometry expert to figure out how much mulch you should have delivered. You want to make sure that you have enough to cover the surface of a flower bed as well as create sufficient depth in order to get the most out of mulch benefits. Landscaping experts have done the hard work of calculation for you! Just apply this simple formula to estimate how many cubic yards you will need for all of your landscaping areas:
- 1 cubic yard covers 100 square feet with 3 inches of mulch depth.
Basically, what that means is that one cubic yard of mulch will provide coverage for 3 flower beds that measure approximately 3 feet deep by 10 feet long. That is also enough coverage for a standard swing set. So, measure and count your flowerbeds, trees, outbuilding perimeters, outdoor pet spaces, and play areas and determine just how much mulch you need delivered! If you need help with the calculations, please contact us. Our experienced landscape professionals are happy to assist you and answer your gardening questions.