MULCHING MISTAKES TO AVOID

MULCH TIPS Mulching mistakes to avoid

Metro Creative Services

Landscape features vary significantly from house to house. Some homeown- ers may prefer water features on their properties, while others focus on flowers that would be the envy of a botanical garden. Regardless of those preferences, lawn and garden enthusiasts who want to make their properties as idyllic as pos- sible may eventually look to mulch to help them accomplish that goal.

Mulch helps soil retain moisture, which promotes strong, healthy flowers, plants, trees, and shrubs. And because soil beneath mulch retains more mois - ture than soil that’s not protected by mulch, homeowners won’t have to spend as much time watering mulched landscapes. That saves time and conserves wa ter, which can be a big benefit in areas prone to drought and/or especially hot summers. Mulch also helps to suppress weed growth, which can ensure all that hard work needed to create an eye-catching garden won’t be compromised by the presence of unsightly, thirsty weeds.

Mulching seems like a simple task, and it can be. But that does not mean homeowners cannot make mistakes when mulching. The following are some common mulching mistakes to avoid as lawn and garden season hits full swing.

· Not enough mulch. Mulch is in- effective when spread too thin. The Virginia Cooperative Exten - sion at Virginia Tech and Virgin- ia State University recommends applying mulch no less than two inches in depth. Anything less than that will prove ineffective at preventing weed growth and helping the soil retain moisture, and that means you will need to water more often.

· Poorly located mulch. Mulch should not be placed too close to plant stems or tree trunks. When it is, tissue is so wet that it makes for a perfect environ - ment for disease and insect in- festation.

· Failing to mulch to the drip line. The drip line of a tree refers to the outermost circumference of the tree’s canopy from which water drips onto the ground. The VCE recommends mulch - ing to the drip line of a plant or tree, which ensures the plant or tree will get the most out of the mulch. Mulching to the drip line also minimizes competition from the grass, leading to stron- ger plants and trees.

· Failing to weed before mulch - ing. Weeds should be removed prior to mulching. If they’re not, the mulch can provide the same growing environment for weeds that you’re trying to create for your plants and trees.

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