Do you want your landscaping to stay as healthy and vibrant as the day it was installed? Then you need mulch. Mulch plays an incredibly important role in keep your outdoor space looking its best, but only if you use it the right way. Fortunately, your landscaper can manage most of the mulching work required for your space. Here’s a look at the dos and don’ts of getting the most from your mulch.
Do Choose the Right Time for Mulching
If you apply mulch at the wrong time of year, your soil temperature will be too cool, which will interfere with healthy plant growth. Typically, you should wait until summer to apply mulch and do it when the soil is dry. One exception to this rule is if you are mulching in a cold weather garden, in which case, you want to trap cool temperatures in the soil to nourish those plants. There are regional variations in the appropriate time for mulching, so follow your landscaper’s lead.
Don’t Overdo It
When you mulch, it’s important to use just the right amount. If you use too little mulch, you won’t get the benefits it provides to your soil. But if you use too much, you may starve your soil of warmth and water. Different areas of your landscaping may need different amounts of mulch, depending on what is planted there. It’s also important to mulch lightly near your house if you are using hardwood mulch, as the mulch could attract termites to the foundation of your home.
Do Consider Your Pets
Generally, mulch is safe for pets, but there are a few kinds that should be avoided. For instance, cocoa bean mulch, which is made from the hulls of cocoa beans, should be avoided as it is toxic to pets, just like chocolate is. Mulch that contains rocks and large chunks of wood can also cause bowel obstructions if eaten by pets.
Let Complete Landscaping take the guesswork out of mulching for you. We will get the timing, type, and amount of mulch right for your landscaping needs. For more information about our Tucson landscaping company, dial (520) 323-8918.