Mulch is mulch, is it not? Not exactly. Mulch is a basic term for the subset of organic products used to adorn and protect the ground in your garden; mulch helps to keep plants’ roots warm and nourished while improving the condition of the soil and reducing overall water consumption. And although in our neck of the woods heat may usually be more of a threat to the health of our plants’ roots than harsh winters are, mulch is also helpful in insulating warmth around your plants’ roots if it ever does get too cold for them to thrive without extra protection.
Another obvious benefit of mulch is an aesthetic benefit: it is a great option to use to break up visual landscapes that may be overwhelmed with green or other plant-like colors. Interestingly, when you surround plants like flowers and blossoming trees with a dull, brown or black mulch, most people find that the colors of the plants are even more radiant. Mulch can help keep us safe, too. Gardens and yards are hotspots for kids’ games, parties, and entertaining, and mulch is helpful in protecting older people and children from potentially harmful falls onto otherwise rough and unforgiving surfaces. As we will elaborate on later, mulch is also useful for keeping away bugs and other pests from your precious and beautiful plants – and in doing so without having to expose your garden to chemical pesticides.
Hardwood bark mulch is a common choice among Gainesville VA homeowners, but there are other options to consider when planning your spring garden and beds. In the following introductions to some of our favorite kinds of mulch, you can find some of the specific benefits of each different type of mulch.
Shredded hardwood mulch
Shredded hardwood mulch lends a seamlessly natural look to landscaped garden beds and wooded scenes; JK Enterprise Landscape Supply often recommends the use of shredded hardwood for creating paths and trails. Choose shredded hardwood for steep slopes and areas likely to flood, too, because this mulch isn’t all about aesthetics. Shredded hardwood mulch also provides a solid layer of protection against unwanted moisture, making sure your plants don’t drown in too much water and preventing unsightly and inconvenent puddles from forming.
Besides being an excellent tool to prevent a buildup of moisture, shredded hardwood mulch also has other practical benefits. Another one of these benefits is that shredded hardwood mulch is like poison to ugly, invasive weeds that you may find in your garden. If you are like most gardeners and dread having to meticulously weed your garden every couple of weeks, this may be the type of mulch that you should choose, because it is known for preventing the proliferation of unwanted weeds.
Cedar mulch
Cedar mulch smells so good. As the wood’s natural oils break down, the air is filled with a pleasant odor, and what’s more: insects be gone! Cedar mulch is a great choice for Gainesville VA homeowners who struggle with termites and other infestations. You might choose to line delicate garden beds with cedar mulch, for its fine texture will never overwhelm your prize perennials.
Now, you may be thinking, why do I need a special type of mulch to prevent unwanted bugs in my garden? Isn’t that what pesticides are for? Well, yes and no. It is true that many gardeners turn to artificial pesticides to deal with termites and other infestations, but it is not true that this is necessarily the best way of addressing such a problem. After all, wouldn’t you rather avoid putting unknown and potentially toxic chemicals in your garden if you have the option to? This is the opportunity which cedar mulch offers: get effective insect prevention with a cheaper and safer option, which drives away bugs with its noautral smell rather than any chemically engineered properties.
Cedar mulch may also be a good choice for the gardener who wants a slightly more low-maintenance choice. You can think of cedar mulch as a “lay it and forget it” choice for gardening mulch because it is unique in how long it lasts without even beginning to decompose and rot. If you know you don’t have the time or patience to refresh your mulch as soon as you think you should, or you would rather invest in high-quality long-lasting mulch now rather than get something cheaper and less sustainable, we recommend looking into our options for purchasing cedar mulch.
Colored mulch
Usually made of hardwood and shredded, dyed mulch comes in red, black, or dark brown and is delivered bagged or bulk. Colored mulch really makes a statement. Dyed and naturally colored wood mulch are equal in performance property. And don’t worry about dangerous chemicals – we only use dyes in our mulch that are safe for close proximity to all living things, whether it’s plants or animals.
Because it is usually the same type of actual mulch as our hardwood shredded mulch, you can be confident that all of the exciting benefits of hardwood shredded mulch mentioned in the first passage of this article apply to any of the various colored mulches which JK Enterprise has to offer on our website.
Order online today! You’ll be just in time to get your yard ready for Easter and then the hot summer (it’s coming!).
