Why mulch your garden?
Question:I'm in the northeast and so many of my neighbors put mulch around their trees and flower beds. I've seen at least three different colors, but are they all the same? Some pile it up pretty high around the base of their trees - why? And I've seen mulch so high in flower beds, it's almost as if the flowers were planted in the mulch rather than the soil. Besides the asthetics, why mulch? I heard it cuts back the bugs, but I don't know for sure. Thanks.
Answers:
Mulch does several things.. it helps control erosion (splashing and runoff of soil in heavy rains). It helps balance moisture in garden beds. The sun can't bake the soil when mulch is shading it. Mulch, as it decomposes adds organic value to soil and it provides a uniform, finished look in garden beds. It really doesn't do anything to cut back on bugs..
The people who put too much mulch around their trees are doing it wrong. Too much mulch around tree trunks can lead to rot issues on the bark of the living tree.
A good layer of mulch is 3-4" deep. Any less diminishes the ability of the mulch to control moisture balance. If you saw what looked like a really high pile of mulch in a flower bed, it's possible that the bed itself was raised. With many soil types, raised beds are good practice and they tend to show off the plants better, too.
Hope that answers your questions.
I always thought it was to provide better drainage and nutrients for the plants...
I hate colored mulch.
I am in the northeast, and it helps to mulch your plants because the mulch retains humidity and protects them during extreme dryness, and weather in the winter.
I still have loads of bugs growing in the mulch, but you mainly want to conserve moisture and protect the roots.
Making those mounds you describe ensures the water won't puddle underneath. You don't want a wet environment, just humid enough to keep the plant alive.
There are several kinds of mulch, usually made from trees (pine, cedar). The cedar mulch is good at repelling insects, and is the best kind to use around the edges of the house.
Mulch not only deters insects, it helps the flowerbeds/tree bases retain water, which means you don't have to water as often.
Check with your local garden center to see what types of mulch are available in your area.
It stops the weeds and keeps in moisture,
I don't like it because I prefer the cottage garden where I have a whole tangled mess of different flowers (and some weeds too!!).
Its just personal preference. Also less maintenance. I spend a lot of time weeding! But I enjoy it.
If your neighbors don't have weed barrier fabric on the ground, they probably would have the mulch pretty thick, at least 3", to keep the weeds out. If you did have weed barrier fabric, you would not need as much mulch that thick.
All mulch basically does the same thing, but some are much better then others. Cypress mulch helps repel bugs. Mulch in genreal helps keep the weeds from growing in your garden and helps retain moisture for your plants.
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