I was a new gardener planting my first vegetable patch years ago when a friend gave me hay from his farm to use as mulch. Planting in mulch can really benefit your plants by keeping their roots cooler in hot spells, helping control weeds, and holding moisture in the soil. So I gladly accepted the hay and spread it around my peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes, then sat back to watch things grow. Things grew all right: plenty of weeds! If only I'd known that I should have composted the hay first to kill the weed seeds in it or chosen a different mulching material, such as shredded leaves. Here's how you can avoid common mulching mistakes in your garden.
1. Don't Use Mulch Mixed with Soil
Greg Baka, a long-time gardener and the owner of Easy Digging tools, notes that it's OK to mix compost into your topsoil to improve it, but let bark mulch lie on the surface of your soil. "Mulch mixed with soil causes difficulties in digging and weeding," Baka explains. Plus, it can alter nutrient availability and soil structure. Jeff Gibson, landscape business manager for Ball Horticultural Company, adds that you should never use woody mulch as a soil amendment in containers or the ground because "in the process of decaying, it binds up the available nitrogen that could be going to the plants you want to grow."
Among your veggies, woody mulches like bark chips are not the best choice. "For a vegetable garden, cheap compost does a much better job of mulching than expensive decorative woody mulch. And it feeds the soil," says Baka. A layer of woody mulch also makes it harder to quickly hoe weeds from between your rows, Baka adds, noting that you must remove it first, weed it, and then put the mulch back.
3. Avoid Fresh Mulches
This was my novice mistake. Mulch materials such as shredded brush, manure, or hay from "pastures, hayfields, or street and highway right-of-ways may contain weed seeds," Baka says, as well as herbicide residues that can kill your plants. "Let fresh mulch sit a few months to leach out any residue and let weed seeds sprout and die," he advises. Composting it before use is even better.
Plants that spread by creeping stems, particularly turf grasses such as Bermuda grass, are sometimes so vigorous that they'll grow right under mulch. Don't spread mulch on or near these plants if you can avoid it. Instead, Baka recommends keeping them in check with edging that runs above and below the ground, or you can dig a small trench along a bed so you can see runners trying to invade and remove them before they get into the mulch.
5. Get Rid of Weeds Before Mulching
While a good layer of mulch can smother small, young weeds, don't expect it to magically eliminate well-established weeds. It's better to remove any big weeds and patches of weeds before mulching over them, or they'll pop right through. Or, as noted in the previous tip, some may keep on spreading under your mulch.
6. Don't Use Too Much Mulch
Plant roots need oxygen and water to survive, and a very deep layer of mulch can limit the supply of both. Plus, fungi can become a problem when your mulch layer is too thick, points out Sam Schmitz, grounds supervisor and horticulturist for The Gardens at Ball. "Fungal mats can develop and actually repel the water you are trying to conserve by applying mulch to begin with. One inch of mulch is plenty and more economical."
7. Prevent Mulch from Touching Your House
When damp mulch touches your siding, it creates a path for termites and other pests to use to get to your home. Baka says it's OK to use mulch against a concrete wall but keep it at least 6 inches away from wood or wooden structures.
8. Don't Make Mulch Volcanoes Around Trees
While mulching around trees is a good idea, mounding it up against the trunk is not. That's because it can keep the tree's root collar too damp and cause it to rot, warns Gibson from Ball, plus it can encourage insects to bore into the trunk and weaken it. Instead, like keeping mulch from touching your house, leave a little space between your mulch and a tree's trunk. And don't pile mulch right up against other plants like shrubs and perennials, either, says Baka. Aim for at least a few inches of space between their stems and any mulch.
9. Avoid Using Dyed Mulch
If you use bagged mulch, Gibson says, "Read the label, as some mulches contain natural dyes, but others may be sprayed-on colorants full of toxins bad for pets and kids. They can leach into the soil and destroy beneficial microbes." He recommends using composted leaf mulch instead, which looks more natural and improves the soil. "Leaf litter provides overwintering habitat for butterflies and other beneficial insects, too. It's a natural, renewable resource people bag up and throw out, and then use wood mulch to cover those same beds! Be more Zen in the garden; leave it be. Nature knows what it's doing."
There are several products that should never be used as mulch: sawdust, wood shavings and un-aged wood chips. As these materials begin to break down, they consume large amounts of nitrogen, depriving surrounding plants of this vital nutrient.
There are several products that should never be used as mulch: sawdust, wood shavings and un-aged wood chips. As these materials begin to break down, they consume large amounts of nitrogen, depriving surrounding plants of this vital nutrient.
There are some species that tolerate excessive mulch better than others. Some of the worst effected plants are grassy plants (iris, daylilies, liriope, etc.), Indian Hawthorn, Azaleas and Loropetalum.
Suffocation of the roots is the most common cause of tree and shrub death from over-mulching. Repeated applications of mulch in areas with high precipitation or high irrigation can contribute to waterlogged conditions.
One of the best mulches to prevent weeds in your garden is wood chips, also known as wooden mulch. Wood chips, including graded fine bark or pine mulch, won't decompose as quickly as other mulch types, giving you a long-term solution to weed control.
However, this isn't necessary because mulch will decompose over time and you can just add a new layer on top of the old one! However, you don't want your mulch layer to exceed 3 inches in thickness. So, you can remove some of the old layer if necessary to keep the mulch at the right amount.
Mulch with large amounts of fines behaves like soil, so layering a soil like substance on the top of soil is soil layering, and by definition, bad. Layering soils often causes drainage problems, increases in soil type diseases, and erosion problems.
Chip or bark mulch is made from cypress or cedar trees and is very helpful for repelling bugs. Both cypress and cedar contain natural chemicals and oils like thujone that deter insects.
You should spread your mulch to be two to four inches thick. If your mulch is too thin, then weeds can push through. If your mulch is too thick, it prevents water from reaching the soil. Water after mulching — This is an optional step, but a final watering can help settle the mulch into place.
Time spent applying mulch to peppers, tomatoes, squash, eggplant and other vegetables means extra dividends at harvest time. Mulch prevents loss of moisture from the soil, suppresses weed growth, reduces fertilizer leaching and cools the soil.
Keep organic (bark and wood products, compost, and leaves or grass clippings) and synthetic (plastic, stones, or landscape fabric) mulches 3 inches away from the base of the trunk to prevent damaging the bark by keeping the area too moist. Organic mulches should not exceed three inches in depth.
Here are a couple of things you may encounter in your mulch and guidance on what to do: Slime mold: this mold initially appears on top of mulch as brightly colored (orange, yellow or red) slimy masses that may be several inches to more than a foot across.
Bagged wood chips are okay in a pinch (as long as they're not dyed or made from treated pallets), but nothing compares to fresh wood chips from a trusted source. Wood chips that have aged for six to twelve months are ideal for mulching since unaged wood chips can temporarily tie up nitrogen in the soil.
Using cardboard or newspaper as a natural weed barrier can allow you to kill a very large area of weeds and grass without using any chemicals or herbicides. Cardboard is applied to the area.Then a layer of mulch goes on top of that.
Shredded leaves, straw, lawn clippings, compost, etc.
Organic materials like leaves will break down over time, enriching the soil, encouraging a healthy soil microbiome, and feeding your tree. They are best when combined with heavier organic matter like wood chips.
To use mulch as a natural weed barrier, you need to put down a 2- to 3-inch layer. That's enough to keep most weed seeds from sprouting. Because you block their access to sunlight, they won't have enough energy to push through the mulch.
But, generally, using organic mulch made from wood chips or bark will be the best choice. It's one of the easiest and least expensive ways to ensure the long-term health and fertility of your soil and the health of your trees and shrubs.
While organic mulches naturally decompose and are beneficial, they also attract insects looking for warmth, shelter, and food. Insects eat the pine bark mulch along with the bacteria and fungi harbored within its moist, dark confines. Pests that aren't true insects but are linked with infestations include spiders.
Shredded bark (hardwood or pine bark) is a popular choice. Buy by the bag at home stores or nurseries, or buy in bulk from local suppliers. Bark nuggets are larger and don't decompose as quickly. Pine straw or wheat straw are easy solutions in many situations.
Avoid using black walnut wood chips unless you're cultivating plants that are juglone-resistant. **Eucalyptus wood chips** are another double-edged sword. While they offer a pleasant aroma and natural pest-repelling qualities, they can be harmful to certain plants.
Introduction: My name is Geoffrey Lueilwitz, I am a zealous, encouraging, sparkling, enchanting, graceful, faithful, nice person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
:strip_icc()/mulching-mistakes-to-avoid-01-5665061-Primary-2b8a0c7465ff4256aa8394b292ff3b4a.jpg "9 Ways to Avoid the Worst Mulch Mistakes in Your Garden (1)")
:strip_icc()/mulching-mistakes-to-avoid-02-5665061-8856e06984a6497390598c547eadc606.jpg "9 Ways to Avoid the Worst Mulch Mistakes in Your Garden (2)")
:strip_icc()/mulching-mistakes-to-avoid-04-5665061-4f622bad67f248f382368c4adcb1f092.jpg "9 Ways to Avoid the Worst Mulch Mistakes in Your Garden (3)")
:strip_icc()/mulching-mistakes-to-avoid-07-5665061-d978f275b5874031b8a880e3dae0ec73.jpg "9 Ways to Avoid the Worst Mulch Mistakes in Your Garden (4)")
