Proper mulching of plants can add great value to your landscape, if done correctly. Improper mulching can deteriorate your plant material over time. This article will help you understand the important steps of how to properly mulch while also educating you on the benefits of mulch around your landscape. We have added a video (click here) to the article that explains and visualizes the process of properly mulching plants.
The first step of mulching a current area is to “demulch” the area, this ensures you do not have a large build up over time that can injure the plant over time. We recommend a total 2 inches of mulch covering the ground. If you have a current area that you plan on re-mulching you need to remove all old mulch down to 1” of coverage, then top dress your area with new mulch. This will bring you to that 2 inches of desired mulch.
When mulching around plants you want to ensure that the trunk or stem of the plant is not covered with mulch. A common mistake is to create a “volcano” effect around the plant. This can cause the roots to girdle the plant, causing hard and/or death to the plant. Adding too much mulch around the root flare of the tree can also cause the base of the tree to rot away or deteriorate the plant.
The benefits of mulch, when done properly, far outweigh the work it takes to ensure the plants health. Mulch retains moisture in the root area of the plant for an extended amount of time to allow the plant to survive longer periods between waterings. The mulch also helps prevent weed pressure, adds curb appeal, and insulates the root ball to help prevent any major soil temperature changes.