Have you ever seen a very tidy looking garden with minimal weed growth? Chances are it contains mulch. While not required in gardening, there are some great benefits to applying mulch.
The Benefits of Mulch
Cuts down on weed growth. Weeds steal precious resources from your garden plants in addition to looking rather unattractive.
Moderation of soil temperature. Mulch provides some protection from temperature fluctuations. This protection reduces the stress on your plants during colder spring temperatures and provides cooling in the hot sun.
Holds in moisture, protecting your plants from drying out too quickly. And protecting you from having to water as often!
Depending on the type of mulch used, it can also provide some nutrition to the soil as it breaks down.
Delivers a “finished” look to your garden.
There are lots of excellent reasons to use mulch, but how do you know what type of mulch to use? Wood chips are commonly used in our region because they:
Provide all the benefits of mulch above.
Are slow to decay.
Look neat & attractive
Come in a variety of colours. Brown, black and red are the most common.
Alternately, other materials can be used in place of wood chips like grass clippings, hay or peat moss and provide many of the same benefits.
When to Apply Mulch
The best time to apply mulches is mid- to late spring and in the fall, when the soil is moist and warm. Avoid applying mulches in winter and early spring as the soil is too cold, and in summer, when it will be dry.
How Much Mulch to Use
Wood chip mulches need to be between 2-3” deep to be most effective. Make sure you are not smothering low growing plants. Mulch will degrade over time, so you may need to top it up to maintain the 2-3” depth. Use a rake to fluff wood mulch occasionally to bring back it’s colour and thickness.
Ability Property Maintenance is happy to help with the delivery and proper installation of mulch for your gardens. Give us a call at 905.933.7019 or use the form below to book a free estimate.
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