Tools and Materials
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Common Mulch Questions and Answers
Learn the basics of yard mulching with answers to some commonly asked questions.
Why Is Using Mulch Important for Your Yard Health?
Mulch is a material that helps planting beds retain moisture, reduces weeds and protects plant roots by moderating temperature extremes in the soil. Mulch can also reduce erosion and beautify your yard by adding color and texture around your lawn, planter beds and trees. Mulch comes in many forms.
Organic materials include:
Inorganic materials include:
What Kind of Mulch Should I Use?
The mulch that’ll work best for you depends on how you plan to use it.
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Organic mulch adds nutrients to the soil, so it’s great for mulching flower beds.
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Inorganic mulch won’t add nutrients but lasts longer than organic mulch. You can use it for general yard mulching and won’t need to replenish it as often.
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A coarse mulch — one with large pieces — will look good with large plants like shrubs and trees, while a fine mulch with small pieces is attractive with small plants and flowers.
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A heavy mulch or one with pieces that lock together will be less likely to wash away and is a good choice for slopes.
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Dark mulch will absorb more warmth than light mulch, which might be an advantage in cool environments. A light shade might be better in warm areas that get a lot of sunlight, but a very light mulch might reflect too much heat onto delicate plants.
What’s the Advantage of Rubber Mulch?
There are times when rubber mulch is a better choice than wood mulch. Rubber mulch has a long life span, acts as an insulator, can repel pests and doesn’t absorb water. Rubber playground mulch is a great choice for mulching under a home swing set. It keeps the ground warm and provides a softer landing surface for children than pea gravel or marble chips. It’s also less likely to blow away over time than many wood mulches.
However, rubber mulch is a bigger initial investment, and you should install it with care. Because rubber mulch doesn’t break down like organic mulch products, you can’t mix it into the soil and you must install it over landscaping fabric. It’s also highly flammable. So if you live in an area with increased fire risk, choose a stone mulch instead.
How Deep Should Mulch Be?
Determining the right mulch depth depends on what you’re mulching and the texture of the mulch. If you’re mulching a flower bed with a fine mulch that has small pieces of material, a couple of inches can work. For coarse mulch with large pieces, try a 3- to 4-inch layer. If you’re simply using mulch beds to beautify areas of your yard, you can use a layer that’s thicker than 4 inches to better control weeds. Measure the area you need to mulch and use our mulch calculator to estimate how much mulch you’ll need.
When Should I Mulch?
In the spring, mulching will help control weeds before they sprout. Mulching in middle to late spring gives the soil a chance to warm. Applying it too early can slow soil warming and plant development.
In the fall and winter — after a couple of freezes — mulching protects plants from the cold, moderating the soil’s freeze-and-thaw cycles to reduce stress on plant roots. It also helps prevent frost heave in colder areas, where freeze-and-thaw cycles can push unestablished plants up out of the ground.
See our Mulch Buying Guide to learn more about the types of mulch and the different mulch colors you can find. Landscaping With Mulch will give you more on why and when to mulch.
How to Lay Mulch
Read the steps below to learn how to put down mulch in your yard. Some types of mulch may include specific instructions, such as the amount of mulch to use based on the size of the pieces or how to safely use mulch that includes herbicide for improved weed control. You shouldn’t use some types of mulch around edible plants. Read the product instructions for information on how to lay mulch and which plants the mulch suits best.
Wear gloves when spreading mulch. This is particularly important if you’re using mulch with a pesticide, such as mulch treated with a weed killer. You may also want to wear a respirator or safety mask. Knee pads can make the work more comfortable.
If you place bags or piles of mulch on your lawn near your beds for easy access later, don’t let them stay in place too long. If you leave them on the lawn, they’ll kill the grass underneath them. Don’t keep mulch on a surface where the material can leave stains, such as a driveway, sidewalk, patio or deck.
When using pesticides or weed killers, carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s safety and use instructions.
How to Mulch Planting Beds
How to Mulch Around Trees
Maintaining Mulch Beds
Make sure you’re getting the most out of your mulch and keep your lawn and flower beds looking their best with these tips for maintaining mulch.
- Keep mulched areas clear of debris.
- Pull back existing mulch gradually in early spring to help with soil warming.
- Get rid of any weeds as soon as you can to keep them from becoming established and spreading.
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Work and turn the mulch with a garden rake or bedding fork a couple of times during the season. This improves the circulation of air and water, keeps the mulch looking fresh, and reduces the growth of unsightly mold and fungi.
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Add a new layer of mulch as needed to maintain the right depth as the existing mulch settles and, in the case of organic material, decomposes over time. However, don’t let the mulch bed get too deep. If you’re using fine mulch, you’ll need to replenish it more often. Work the existing mulch a bit to improve air and water circulation before adding a new layer.
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If you need to restore or brighten up faded mulch, you can add a thin layer of fresh mulch.
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To replant a mulched bed where the mulch is in good shape, rake the material aside or move it onto a tarp so you can spread it back after planting. If organic mulch has decayed and you need to start again with new mulch, you can work the existing material into the soil along with compost to add nutrients and improve the soil structure.
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If you notice stains from colored mulch on concrete, use a scrub brush and mild soap or white vinegar to clean the stain. Lightly rinse it with water. Avoid high-pressure water from a hose or pressure washer for these stains so that you don’t drive the dye deeper into the concrete.