What You Need to Know About Mulch Installation
In this next blog post, we will look at what mulch is, how it benefits your gardens and why Citywide Property Maintenance is your go-to for mulch installation in the KW region.
Ok, let’s mull over mulch!
Mulch is used to cover and insulate soil and can help you control weeds.
Image Source: Alfo Medeiros
Mulch Installation
1. What is mulch?
Google the word mulch and you’ll see that Oxford Languages defines mulch as “material (such as decaying leaves, bark, or compost) spread around or over a plant to enrich or insulate the soil”.
Basically, there are organic and inorganic mulches. When someone thinks of mulch they are likely thinking of organic mulch. Below are descriptions and examples of organic and inorganic mulch.
Organic Mulch
Organic mulch that you find in stores is usually a thick mix of organic materials like leaves, wood chips, fertilizers and nutrients.
According to Gardenersworld.com, there are 5 types of organic mulch:
Composted Woodchips or Bark
Homemade Garden Compost
Leaf Mould
Mushroom Compost
Well-Rotted Horse Manure
As mentioned earlier, we are typically used to seeing mulch made with composted woodchips or bark.
Rock mulch is considered a type of inorganic mulch.
(Image Source: Scott Webb)
Inorganic Mulch
Inorganic mulch, on the other hand, includes the following materials:
Landscape Cloth
Plastic Sheeting
Rocks or Gravel
Rubber
The type of mulch you choose depends on what you are using it for and what your preferences are.
Mulch acts as a weed suppressant.
(Image Source: Marek Levak)
2. Why is it necessary?
If you are a gardener or property manager, then you’ll want to research the types of mulch and their various uses in detail. However, for this blog, we will look at the general benefits of using mulch.
Benefits of Mulch
Suppresses Weeds
Helps Garden Soil Keep Its Moisture (Which means less watering!)
Physically Blocks Sun
Enhances Visual Appearance of Gardens, Trees & Yards
Acts as a Slow-Releasing Plant Food
Some mulches can also protect against bugs and disease. Plus, if you choose organic mulch, it's healthy for your garden and will eventually compost. Even if you choose an inorganic mulch like rocks, which don’t eventually break down, you are still using natural elements!
Learn how to spread mulch with David Epstein in the video above.
3. How does it work?
In this section, we’ll highlight where you can find mulch and how to apply it. We’ll also cover when you should add mulch.
Where To Find Mulch
You can buy mulch from most garden centres and other home or hardware stores and install it yourself. You can also call upon the professionals to install it for you. Here are some tips if you plan to do it yourself:
Application Tips
Use no more than 3 inches of mulch to cover garden beds and soil as too much can actually keep out moisture.
When using mulch around trees, make sure you don’t go too high. In the video above, Growing Wisdom expert David Epstein says that you should always see the “flare” of the tree trunk base.
Timing
How often you add mulch depends on how much the mulch has broken down.
Organic mulch will usually need to be refreshed each spring or fall as it will dry out, fade and break down with time
Inorganic mulch, like rock, really doesn’t need refreshing. Instead, you can add a fresh top layer once in a while or you can wash the rocks to renew the look.
Mulches primarily made of bark can last longer than a year because they take longer to decompose.
Mulch installation is usually a pretty quick process, so you don’t need to dedicate much time to it; however, try to avoid changing the location of inorganic mulch as this will be time-consuming and, with rocks, laborious.
Mulch From Citywide
We recommend contacting professionals like Citywide for your residential mulch installation. Why? Because…
They weed and edge your gardens to make them look crisp and new
They will spray to help kill any weeds that were hard to get at
They can edge your garden with concrete or natural stone when desired
Once Citywide prepares your gardens, they will lay down about 2” of mulch. Clients can choose from colours like:
Auburn
Black
Brown
While those are the 3 most popular colours of mulch, there are other choices available. Contact Citywide to learn more about our mulch products and get a free estimate for your mulch installation!
Property Maintenance With Citywide
We realize that you may need more than mulch for your property. Here is a list of some other services from Citywide that you might find helpful:
Additional Services From Citywide
Since 2008, Citywide has been offering friendly expert advice and a range of products for residential and commercial properties at competitive prices. We look forward to chatting with you about the maintenance of your residential or commercial property!
“Quick response, showed up on time, professional work, very good price for the job and pleasant to deal with. What more could you ask for?! Highly recommend them.”
“We are proud to have a 10 year plus working relationship with Dave and his team! They are well known for fencing, woodwork, and all landscape installations! I would personally recommend them to family and friends!”